According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 37 million falls requiring medical attention occur each year. It is important to highlight that they are one of the leading causes of injuries among older adults and those with reduced mobility, which is why in this article, we will discuss an essential tool to improve their safety and independence: grab bars.
What are grab bars used for?
Grab bars, also known as support bars or handrails, are safety devices installed on walls, bathrooms, and other areas, designed to provide additional support, allowing individuals to maintain their balance and stability while performing everyday activities like showering, getting up from the toilet, or climbing and descending stairs.
Benefits of grab bars
Using grab bars provides numerous benefits to their users. Some of them include:
They help prevent falls: This is their main benefit, as they provide a firm support point, reducing the risk of slips and trips on wet or unstable surfaces.
They enhance user independence: Since older adults and/or those with reduced mobility often rely on the assistance of caregivers or family members, grab bars allow them to perform daily tasks with more autonomy, which also helps improve their self-esteem and quality of life.
They are easy to install and use: They come in different sizes and designs, so they can be adapted to any need and space.
They reduce the fear of falling: Having a grab bar available increases confidence and, therefore, reduces the fear of falls.
Use of grab bars in nursing homes
Grab bars can be installed in private homes as well as in various facilities such as hospitals or nursing homes. Focusing on the latter, specific places where they can be most useful as support for users include bathrooms, hallways, bedrooms, and common areas.
Proper installation of grab bars is crucial to ensure their effectiveness and safety. To make the best decision regarding their placement, it is recommended to follow these steps:
Assess needs: Identify the areas in the nursing home where there is a higher risk of falls.
Comfortable and accessible height: To be useful, they should be placed at the appropriate position. Generally, installation is recommended at 80 to 100 cm from the floor, although it depends on the specific needs of the residents in question.
Secure mounting: To properly support the weight of the residents, they must be firmly secured, using the appropriate anchors and screws.
Types of grab bars
To guarantee safety, at Simex we offer a wide catalog of grab bars, which can be mounted on walls, ceilings, or floors to provide stable support.
It is worth noting that all our grab bars are ergonomically designed to provide the best comfort and safety for users, with a wide variety of styles such as flip-up bars for disabled bathroom use, wall angle bars, and fixed bars.
Moreover, our grab bars can adapt to any design, as they are available in stainless steel and aluminum nylon, and in white, black, and metallic colors.
More tips to prevent falls
In addition to using grab bars, there are other simple and effective measures that can be applied, especially by older adults, to prevent falls. Take note!
Stay active: Physical activity is essential to maintain muscle strength, flexibility, and balance.
Review medications: As years go by, the regular use of medications increases, and some of them may cause side effects such as dizziness or drowsiness, which can increase the risk of falls. Therefore, it is advisable to review them periodically with a doctor or pharmacist in case any dose needs adjustment or any medication needs to be changed.
Get hearing and vision check-ups: Good vision and hearing are essential to avoid falls. It is recommended that older adults have a check-up at least once a year.
Adequate lighting: To avoid tripping or falling, having good lighting in the place where you are is crucial. For this, using night lights in bedrooms and bathrooms can be very helpful.
Remove obstacles: In nursing homes, this factor is already considered, but if the elderly person is living at home, it is important to do a home review to identify and remove potential hazards, such as loose rugs, poorly placed furniture blocking paths, cables in walking areas, etc.
Wear appropriate footwear: It is recommended to wear shoes with non-slip soles, good foot support, comfortable, and well-fitted.
Contact us
We hope you found this article interesting, and as always, if you want to place an order, if you have any questions, or need more information about any of our products, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to assist you!