Ellas Bubbles

;

What’s the big deal about bathing and bathroom safety? – Part II

By: George Bentley

The Magnitude of the Problem

Accidental Deaths

I, and other advocates of bathroom safety, are astounded by the high incidence of bathing-related deaths. ABT Associates Inc.’s report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission indicated that as many as 70 persons over the age of 65 die of bathtub-related burn injuries every year in the US alone. That is nearly 6 people dying each month from hot water scalding! According to the National Safety Council, one person dies everyday from simply using the bathtub/shower in the United States. Of the 24,000 accidental deaths of people over the age of 65 every year, many are bathing related (Burdman, 1986). The National Safety Council reported that 345 people of all ages died in bathtubs in 1989, 364 in 1988, and 348 in 1987. The numbers are sure to increase rapidly with the transition of the parents of Baby Boomers and, thereafter the huge Baby Boomer generation, into elderhood. Bathtub related deaths during the three-year period from 1987-1989 exceeded those due to handgun accidents, all forms of road vehicles accidents (excluding motor vehicles), ladders and scaffolding falls, and ignition of clothing. Because bathtub related deaths occur suddenly and in a supposedly protective environment, these deaths tend to cause a greater degree of psychological trauma for the families.

After the swimming pool, the bathtub is the second major site of drowning in the home. Budnick and Ross (1985) studied bathtub-related drowning between the years 1979-1981. They concluded that those over the age of 75 accounted for the most bathtub-related deaths. Drowning deaths, for those over the age of 60, were primarily due to having fallen in the tub.

Bathing Injuries

On average, 370 persons of all ages sustain injuries from bathtub/shower daily in the United States. The dangerous aspect of bathing is evident from the injury data reported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission: 117,230 bathtub/shower injuries in 1989; 136,616 in 1990; and 139,434 in 1991. More elderly people were injured from using bathtub/shower than from other potentially dangerous equipment such as exercise equipment or cooking appliances (ranges or ovens).

No room in the American home poses more threats to safety than the bathroom (King, 1992; Koncelick 1982 ; Kira, 1966). The National Safety Council reports that in 1990, “7.8 percent of all injury episodes, or 4,547,000, involved persons of age 65 or older” (Accident Facts, 1992, p23). The majority of the accidents took place in and around the bathroom. About 30 percent of all home accidents are due to falls, the sixth leading cause of death. Falls result in 200,000 hip fractures, 25 percent of all hospital admissions for people over 65, and as much as 80 percent of all nursing home admissions are, directly or indirectly, due to fall related injuries and recovery.

Article From Article Health And Fitness

Ella’s Bubbles Practices Safe Bathing Techniques With The Walk In Tub
Ella’s Bubbles

Falls Among Older Adults: An Overview
How big is the problem?
More than one third of adults 65 and older fall each year in the United States (Hornbrook et al. 1994; Hausdorff et al. 2001).

Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths. They are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma (CDC 2005). How to avoid this in the bathroom purchase a walk in tub so you dont run the risk of hurting your when no one else is around.
In 2005, 15,800 people 65 and older died from injuries related to unintentional falls; about 1.8 million people 65 and older were treated in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries from falls, and more than 433,000 of these patients were hospitalized (CDC 2005).

The rates of fall-related deaths among older adults rose significantly over the past decade (Stevens 2006).
What outcomes are linked to falls?
Twenty percent to 30? of people who fall suffer moderate to severe injuries such as bruises, hip fractures, or head traumas. These injuries can make it hard to get around and limit independent living. They also can increase the risk of early death (Alexander et al. 1992; Sterling et al. 2001).
Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries, or TBI (Jager et al. 2000). In 2000, TBI accounted for 46% of fatal falls among older adults (Stevens et al. 2006).
Most fractures among older adults are caused by falls (Bell et al. 2000).
The most common fractures are of the spine, hip, forearm, leg, ankle, pelvis, upper arm, and hand (Scott 1990).
Many people who fall, even those who are not injured, develop a fear of falling. This fear may cause them to limit their activities, leading to reduced mobility and physical fitness, and increasing their actual risk of falling (Vellas et al. 1997).

In 2000, direct medical costs totaled $0.2 billion ($179 million) for fatal falls and $19 billion for nonfatal fall injuries (Stevens et al. 2006).
Who is at risk?
Men are more likely to die from a fall. After adjusting for age, the fall fatality rate in 2004 was 49% higher for men than for women (CDC 2005).
Women are 67% more likely than men to have a nonfatal fall injury (CDC 2005).
Rates of fall-related fractures among older adults are more than twice as high for women as for men (Stevens et al. 2005).

In 2003, about 72% of older adults admitted to the hospital for hip fractures were women (CDC 2005).
The risk of being seriously injured in a fall increases with age. In 2001, the rates of fall injuries for adults 85 and older were four to five times that of adults 65 to 74 (Stevens et al. 2005)
Nearly 85% of deaths from falls in 2004 were among people 75 and older (CDC 2005).
People 75 and older who fall are four to five times more likely to be admitted to a long-term care facility for a year or longer (Donald et al. 1999).
There is little difference in fatal fall rates between whites and blacks, ages 65 to 74 (CDC 2006).
After age 75, white men have the highest fatality rates, followed by white women, black men, and black women (CDC 2005).

White women have significantly higher rates of fall–related hip fractures than black women (Stevens 2005).
Among older adults, non–Hispanics have higher fatal fall rates than Hispanics (Stevens et al. 2002).
How can older adults prevent falls?
Older adults can take several steps to protect their independence and reduce their risk of falling. They can:

Exercise regularly; exercise programs like Tai Chi that increase strength and improve balance are especially good.
Ask their doctor or pharmacist to review their medicines–both prescription and over-the counter–to reduce side effects and interactions.
Have their eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year.
Improve the lighting in their home.
Reduce hazards in their home that can lead to falls.
What is CDC doing to prevent falls among older adults?
CDC supports research and dissemination on ways to help prevent falls among older adults. To read about these activities, follow the link to CDC Fall Prevention Activities.

CDC has also developed brochures and posters, in partnership with the CDC Foundation and MetLife Foundation, to educate older adults and those who care for them about preventing falls and the injuries that result.

Ella’s Bubbles cares about seniors health and well being. We have been providing quality home products for bathroom safety since 2006!

http://www.ellasbubbles.com
http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/falls/adultfalls.html

On average, 370 persons of all ages sustain injuries from bathtub/shower daily in the United States. The dangerous aspect of bathing is evident from the injury data reported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission: 117,230 bathtub/shower injuries in 1989; 136,616 in 1990; and 139,434 in 1991.Those between the ages of 25-64 accounted for 37 percent of all bathtub/shower injuries; the most vulnerable being those closer to the upper age limit. The elderly accounted for 17 percent of bathtub/shower injuries in 1989, 22 percent in 1990, and 20 percent in 1991. More elderly people were injured from using bathtub/shower than from other potentially dangerous equipment such as exercise equipment or cooking appliances (ranges or ovens).

No room at home poses more threats to safety than the bathroom (King, 1992; Koncelick 1982 ; Kira, 1966). The National Safety Council reports that in 1990, “7.8 percent of all injury episodes, or 4,547,000, involved persons of age 65 or older” (Accident Facts, 1992, p23). The majority of the accidents took place in and around the home. About 30 percent of all home accidents are due to falls, the sixth leading cause of death. Falls result in 200,000 hip fractures, and 25 percent of all hospital admissions for people over 65. The bathroom is the primary location where many falls take place. Confined space together with hard slippery surfaces creates great risk for all people, irrespective of their age or physical condition. The greatest danger in the bathroom is slipping and falling when entering and exiting the bathtub or shower. The hardness of the bathtub surface and sharp, protruding fixtures are the chief agent of injury in slips and falls. The lack of support surfaces for grasping in older bathtubs is the primary reason why people slip and fall. This is particularly true for older homes, a place where many of America’s elderly reside.

Inconvenience

The results of a study published by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research indicates that in 1984 more people were dependent in bathing than they were in dressing, transferring into and out of bed/chair, meal preparation or performing light house work (NIDRR, 1992). Bathing related difficulties escalate sharply with age. They vary greatly between the young-old (65-74), the old-old (75-84) and the very-old old (85+). About 40,000 young old people reported difficulty with bathing. There were twice as many old-olds and over five times as many very-old olds who had problems with bathing. Not all people experienced the same type of difficulties; some had more problems getting in and out of the bathtub, while others had difficulty adjusting the flow and temperature of water.

Bathing is a difficult task for a large number of the America’s elderly. Another study by the NIDRR indicated that in 1987, “a total of 3.6 million persons (12 percent in the community of over 65) had difficulty with at least one Activity of Daily Living or mobility (walking) . . . ADL and mobility difficulties affecting the greatest number of elderly were bathing (2.5 million or 8.9 percent)” (NIDRR,1992, p66). Not all individuals with bathing difficulties required help; about 252,000 people bathed unassisted; 1.4 million individuals required human assistance; 308,000 were dependent on the use of bathing aids and equipment; and 280,000 needed both.

Original Article By – George E. Bentley – Health & Fitness