Press Release: Older Adults Can Enjoy Bathrooms Safely
Bath Fitter Offers Many Options
Springfield, TN -- Fear of injury may be keeping older adults from enjoying a luxurious bath or shower, according to survey results, but Bath Fitter (http://www.bathfitter.com/) has a renovation plan with safety in mind for every bathroom.
It’s ironic that just as older adults begin to have more time to pamper themselves, they say they spend only as much time in the bathroom as they need to, and are less likely than their younger counterparts to think of their bathroom(s) as a sanctuary. They are also less likely than younger adults to say they love the feeling of taking a long, relaxing shower or bath, according to a national survey conducted by Harris Interactive® on behalf of Bath Fitter, the leading manufacturer of high-gloss acrylic bathtub liners.
Much of that reluctance could relate to concerns over safety. Falls are the leading cause of accidental home injury and death in the U.S., and older adults are by far at greatest risk of unintentional falls, according to the Home Safety Council (HSC), a national nonprofit dedicated to reducing injuries at home.
As a result, some older adults are interested in upgrading some elements of their bathroom(s). Among adults ages 55+, most of whom own a home, 15 percent want to improve the safety of their bathroom(s) by installing handrails in the bathtub or shower, the Bath Fitter survey found.
Bath Fitter’s acrylic bathtub liners and bathroom wall systems offer safety features popular with older adults. The company’s grab bars and innovative patterned floors help restore confidence when getting in and out of tubs and showers. Bath Fitter can also add additional protection with a slip-resistant coating to floors to further help safeguard against slips and falls.
“Renovating a bathroom with safety as a priority is something we have done for many years and take very seriously,” says Joe Fasoli, Manager, Franchise Sales & Support. “Not only are Baby Boomers getting older but they are also concerned about their parents.
“Everyone wants to enjoy a shower or bath without worrying they’ll wind up in the emergency room. We offer many attractive safety options that strike a balance between physical security and an appealing appearance,”
Bath Fitter options include grab bars and handrails that are designed to maintain the esthetic appeal of the bathroom while allowing older adults to feel safe when getting in and out of their tubs and showers.
“We feel that older adults may start to feel differently about the quality time they spend in the bathroom when the space is equipped with safety features that make them feel more comfortable and secure,” Fasoli said.
Such renovations, like all Bath Fitter projects, are completed in just one day and at a fraction of the cost of a traditional bathroom overhaul. Among the more than four in five adults who would like to remodel their bathroom in some way (84 percent), nearly nine in 10 (89 percent) cite barriers, most commonly, a prohibitive cost (57 percent).
A home injury can be a life-altering experience, not only for those who are injured but also for the entire family. There’s no reason for the bathroom to be a threat. Older adults who don’t want to impart their bathrooms with an institutional feel just to be safe have a friend in Bath Fitter.
See the dozens of options and configurations Bath Fitter offers at http://www.bathfitter.com/.
About the Survey
The Bathroom Re-modeling survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Bath Fitter from February 11-13, 2009 among 2,315 adults ages 18 and older, of whom, 676 are aged 55+, and from March 6-10, 2009 among a separate sample of 2,315 adults ages 18 and older, of whom 660 are aged 55+. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Gigi Lubin.
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