Bathroom Flooring Options Best For An Aging Homeowner

As you grow older, you start to consider forever options for your home. In other words, you start to weigh in what features your home needs to make it ideal once you reach a certain age. For instance, you may want to incorporate features that are easy to maintain and provide additional safety in case you start to suffer from mobility issues. One such feature that you may want to consider is the flooring in your home, especially the bathroom.

Statistics show that the bathroom is often a source of injury for seniors. In fact, over a third of seniors over 65 years of age tend to fall, and 80% of those falls occur in the bathroom. Before you reach a point that slips and falls become an issue, it is better to consider the best flooring options for your future. When considering flooring options, you need to determine which options will provide the least amount of maintenance and the highest safety priority.

What to Consider

When trying to determine which bathroom flooring is best for the home of an aging individual, you need to weigh in certain factors. The most important factors to consider are:

• Slip-resistance – is the floor slip-resistant?
• Maintenance and overall cleaning – is the floor easy to clean and maintain?
• Cushioning – does the flooring offer adequate cushioning in the event of a fall?
• Comfort – does the floor provide comfort when standing on it?
• Ease of travel – is it easy for a person to move across the floor using a wheelchair, cane, or other assisted walking device?

Which Flooring?

There are three flooring types that are often best for the bathroom of an older person, which includes non-slip vinyl, cork or bamboo, and rubber. You can purchase flooring tiles in any of the materials mentioned, but you should know the pros and cons of each before you make your final choice.

Non-slip Vinyl

Non-slip vinyl offers a safe, non-slip surface, is relatively easy to maintain with minimal sweeping, and it is often stain-resistant. It is, however, prone to scars and scrapes if you use a wheelchair or assisted walking device. It also offers very little cushioning in the event of a fall.

Cork or Bamboo

Cork flooring tiles are often a great choice because it is comfortable to stand on since it is often a warmer flooring choice. When sealed properly, cork flooring is also relatively easy to maintain. Older people prefer cork because it has slip-resistant properties. However, it is prone to scarring and scratches if you use a wheelchair or assisted walking device. Prolonged exposure to moisture can also damage the floor.

Rubber

Rubber flooring tiles are another great choice for senior bathrooms because it is easy to clean and maintain, offers a soft surface in the event of falls, and is extremely slip-resistant. The drawback is that it is often on the pricey side and it is not as visually appealing as other flooring types.

If you are interested in updating your bathroom flooring so that it is more suitable of accommodating you as you age, talk to a flooring expert. A professional can help you choose a retail bathroom tile that works best for you based on your wants, needs, and budget.