By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
April 7, 2020

Staying safe in the bathroom is critical for safety and lifelong independence. A persons need for adaptations to the environment depends on their visual impairment and any additional disabilities. There are simple adaptations you can make to the bathroom that can help you or your family member be safe and achieve independence. 

Adjust Lighting

Depending on your family member's visual condition, special lighting may need to be obtained for the bathroom. Some persons may need increased lighting, while others may find that the lighting produces too much glare. If your family member is sensitive to glare, make the following adaptations:
  • Experiment with different wattage and different types of lights being sure to follow the recommended wattage of any light fixture. 
  • Adjust the light coming from windows by adjusting blinds or curtains,
  • Install a rheostat control (dimmer switch) on light switches,
  • Adjust mirrors so lights don't reflect off them,
  • Avoid using high gloss finishes.
  • Night lights may be helpful to place in bathrooms to help the person move safely at night. 

Increase Contrast

If you or your family member has any usable vision, it will most likely be important to ensure good contrast in the bathroom. Consider the following adaptations to increase contrast:
  • Use light switch plates in contrasting colors or use glow-in-the-dark light switches. 
  • Place dark rugs against light floors, and light rugs against dark floors.
  • Purchase towels and mats that contrast with walls, floors, tub and tile.
  • Paint walls in a color that contrasts with baseboards, counters, shower stalls, bathtubs and the toilet. 
  • Consider replacing the toilet seat with one in a color that contrasts with the wall or fixtures or purchase a motion activated toilet light.
  • Place soap in a colored plastic container that contrasts with the soap and the wall or tile. 

Bathroom Safety

As with the rest of the home, the bathroom can be easily adapted to ensure independence and safety.
  • Consider installing a safety rail on the edge of the tub.
  • Consider installing a safety rail by the toilet. 
  • Use nonslip strips in the shower/tub.
  • Use only nonskid rugs and mats or apply rubber matting to the back of all floor coverings.
  • Set the hot water heater to a medium range and/or place adhesive bump on indicator dots on the faucet and at the 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 locations to make it easier to adjust the temperature. 

Product Identification

Make the following simple adaptations to help identify materials:
  • Mark their toothbrush with a rubber band to make it easily identifiable.
  • ​​Purchase products in different shapes so they can be easily discriminated.
  • ​Place a rubber band or hair band around the shampoo bottle to distinguish it from the conditioner bottle. 

Other Tips

  • Use a magnifying mirror either on a base or one that is mounted to the wall with an expanding arm. 
  • Consider using "soap-on-a-rope" to help you locate the bar of soap more easily. 
  • Place a bright colored loofah, sponge, or other bright buoyant object on the surface of water when filling the bathtub so you can see the water level rise and prevent overflow. 
  • Use a talking scale to help monitor your weight. 

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