Bathroom Safety Is Essential

Statistics have shown that 86 percent of all seniors get injured taking a fall at home. Aging is a real surprise, and as seniors we live in trying times. It’s like seniors didn’t have enough issues to deal with, and now we have to deal with the coronavirus on top of all the regular issues. Let’s make a short list of our issues and go from there. And remember: Wash your hands and wear that mask.

Here’s the short list: 1) Health issues 2) Retirement 3) Inflation 4) Helping our children with their lives (free babysitting of grandchildren, helping get grandchildren into good schools, picking up/dropping off grandchildren, helping with money, even sometimes helping to buy them a house — and let’s not forget free storage. Yes, all three of my children still have junk at my house. They don’t want me to throw it away, but they won’t take it either.) 5) Trying to get ready to age in place 6) And worrying about all these responsibilities.

Sometimes, as seniors, we get carried away with all our new required responsibilities and forget about ourselves.

Now that we have been spending more time at home because of the coronavirus situation, most seniors should be noticing the to-do list that has long been put on hold — everything from painting the house inside and out, to getting ready to age in place.

We have forgotten that 72 percent of all seniors get injured in the bathroom and this should be the first area to start our aging-in-place journey. Aging in place is vital to all seniors’ futures, so let’s get organized and do this.

First, change that tub to a shower. Put a seat in the shower and install handi-bars. Make sure there is a non-slip surface in the shower and bathroom floor. Install a taller toilet and maybe a bidet (no need to wait in line at Costco for toilet paper). Maybe get stronger towel bars in case of a fall. These are a few of the basics to start to get ready to age in place.

Let’s face it, none of us get out of this world alive, but let’s make the ride as pleasant as possible.

Second, where do you go to find a real professional company to handle this job reasonably, painlessly and quickly?

The answer: Go to the experts at Tropical Wholesale. Tropical is a general contractor as well as a plumbing contractor. Owners Matt and Mike have the best system and can change a tub to a shower in three days with all the safety features and bells and whistles.

Tropical installs 15-20 bathrooms a month with the finest quality products available. Jacuzzi is the manufacturer, and all installs come with a Jacuzzi factory lifetime warranty. Jacuzzi offers more than 50 different styles and colors that all come with the lifetime warranty.

Also, the Jacuzzi system is preplanned so the cost is normally $3,000-$8,000 less than the competition. No more grout and one-year warranty tile jobs.

Tropical does full turn-key packages from demo to plumbing to fixtures and shower doors. Or, if necessary, Tropical will renovate the whole bathroom.

The best way to start is to come to Tropical’s showroom at 1351 S. Beretania St. and see the possibilities for your home. If you’re not traveling, Tropical will bring a mini showroom to you and explain all the possibilities and building codes.