Bathrooms
n Staff need to be given training on the signs of sight loss to ensure person- centred care and appropriate care plans for residents are provided.
n Greater awareness about the impact of sight loss is needed and most care homes identified the need for more training on this.
According to Adam Ferry, an occupational therapist with The OT Service: “While generalisations should never be made when it comes to visual impairment, it is not wrong to suggest that those living with sight loss frequently find it more challenging to use the environment and space around them confidently. This is particularly true in the bathroom, and even more so if it has not been installed or adapted to accommodate the user’s needs and typical routines.”3
Common visual impairment challenges in the bathroom
Common challenges that those with visual impairment experience in the bathroom include difficulties with orientation, poor depth perception, and issues with locating items within a room, usually due to lack of definition. Also, those with visual impairments can struggle with a general lack of confidence – often due to fear – in engaging independently in activities or areas of occupational performance in the care home. When it comes to bathroom adaptations to help those with sight loss, many of the tips for improving navigation and accessibility will also be of benefit to those with other conditions, too. Five key elements that need to be kept in mind when designing any space for those with visual impairments include: n Educating the resident on changes, while ensuring adaptations enable them to support their existing routines.
n Lighting the task, not the room. Good lighting will ensure safety and security, but instead of focusing on illuminating a whole room it is imperative instead to implement task-specific lighting.
n Ensuring correct colour contrast is key to aiding navigation.
n Decluttering and removing redundant objects and pieces of furniture to make the bathroom less difficult to move around.
n Incorporating accessibility equipment. This could be tactile devices and controls or those with auditory feedback, such as on specially designed electric showers.
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Simple bathroom design changes Simple bathroom design changes can improve the lives and safety of residents with visual impairments and these include: Lighting – avoidance of shadows, dark areas and glare is key to safe movement around a bathroom. Install:
n LED task downlights with a narrow 30° beam angle over specific ‘task-based areas’ such as the shower, bath, sink, or toilet.
n Ambient lighting to maintain general light levels throughout the bathroom space.
Safe movement – well-placed grab rails and shower seats with arm rests reduce fall risks.
Remember:
n Use two colours where the light reflective value (LRV) difference between both colours is greater than 30.
n Colour contrast is best achieved with contrasting shades of the same colour rather than different colours.
Floor safety – To minimise trip hazards, think about the flooring and, if installing a shower, choose one that is level access. Use non-slip vinyl safety flooring that has a Pendulum Test Value (PTV) rating of ≥36. Ease of showering – Showering can be difficult for those with visual impairments due to the potential difficulty of setting the appropriate temperature, controlling flow, and adjusting the height of the shower. That is why we have worked with the RNIB in the design of our latest range of smart electric showers.
Ensuring care home bathrooms are accessible to all can seem challenging, but there are many design principles that cross over for even the most complex resident needs.
References 1
https://akw-ltd.co.uk/document/akw- strokes-guide-white-paper/
2
https://www.pocklington.org.uk/resources/ useful-guides/experience-of-sight-loss-in- care-homes/
3
https://akw-ltd.co.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2023/04/Accessible-Bathrooms- Visual-Impairment-Guide.pdf
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Thomas Davies
Thomas Davies has been with AKW for five years. He has been retirement and care director for the past year and before that he was a business development manager. Thomas is passionate about delivering solutions that make lives better for those in the care sector.
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com July 2024
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