COLORADO SPRINGS — According to the CDC, one in four adults 65 years and older report falling each year in the U.S.
About 20 percent of those falls may result in a serious injury, like a broken bone.
The CDC says one way to prevent falls is to make your home safer, and that includes the bathroom.
Jerry Fleenor, the President and Owner of Bordner Home Improvement, says it starts with taking a look at the tub.
"All tubs, if you are of a certain age, become hazardous at some point," Fleenor pointed out.
Bordner Home Improvement is continuing to re-model bathrooms by making them easier to access.
Most of their clients are asking them to replace their tubs with showers, therefore removing any tripping hazards.
"What we're able to do is go in and remove the tub, the walls and everything. [We] put in a new shower base that's gonna have a much lower threshold, add some grab bars. And then just make it a much more safe environment," Fleenor explained. "Especially if they want a bench seat or something like that."
Fleenor says now that a lot more elderly folks are at home, it's important to keep an eye out for any slippery surfaces in the bathroom that could pose a risk.
"You can even have the sticky stuff that you put down that helps with the traction, that's not as much of the issue as just getting in and out," he emphasized.
"And usually, a lot of times, there's not any kind of grab bar or support for a person getting in and out of the tub."
To prevent falls, the CDC also recommends getting rid of things you could trip over and making sure your home has lots of light by adding more or brighter bulbs.
If you think your bathroom or that of a loved one needs an upgrade, Fleenor says now is a good time to get the process started.
"Purchasing the product now and having installed later is the reality of what's going to happen anyways," he said.
Fleenor added most contractors need at least a couple of weeks to order supplies anyways.
His company is offering customers the immediate option of having a crew go out complete a two-day installation, or schedule one for two months down the line.
Either way, the priority here is to allow our elderly folks to age safely where they are.
