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SeniorSafetyGear

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How to choose, fit and use mobility and bathroom safety equipment, each built on CDC, FDA and CPSC guidance and named sources.

metal handrail fixed to a pale tiled wall at an angle with a wall bracket and a shadow below it

Bathroom SafetyWhere to Put Grab Bars: Placement, Height and MountingWhere MedlinePlus and the CDC say grab bars belong, the heights and sizes in the ADA Standards, and what the wall behind the bar must hold.

red brick archway at a building entrance with a gray ramp, black metal railings and a wheelchair symbol on the ground

RampsHow Steep Is Too Steep for a Home Ramp? The ADA 1:12 Rule ExplainedWhat a 1:12 slope means in inches, the steeper slopes the ADA allows for small rises, the 30-inch limit per run and the handrail and landing rules.

close view of a person sitting on a bed wearing white socks, one with rainbow stripes at the top

Daily LivingGetting Dressed After Hip or Knee Surgery: Five Tools and What They DoThe five dressing tools University of Utah Health lists for joint replacement, what each does and how to decide which you need before you buy a kit.

person riding a four-wheel mobility scooter away along a gravel path with a flag on the back and tail lights on

CostsDoes Medicare Pay for Mobility Equipment? What Medicare.Gov SaysWhat Medicare.gov says about durable medical equipment: the 20% share, enrolled suppliers and a provider's order, and what it does not say about lift chairs.

lit table lamp, a glass of water and two blister packs of pills on a marble nightstand

BedroomA Safer Bedroom for Night-Time Bathroom Trips: Six ChangesSix changes from the CDC, MedlinePlus and the CPSC that make the walk from bed to bathroom safer at night: lighting, rugs, a commode and a bed rail.

older white bathtub with a metal faucet against a tiled wall and a blue shower curtain

Bathroom SafetyShower Chair or Tub Transfer Bench: Which One Do You Need?A shower chair sits inside the tub and a transfer bench spans the tub wall. How each works, the numbers on two Drive Medical models and when to ask a therapist.

older man in a dark coat and cap walking away with a cane along a red path in a tree-lined park

MobilityCane, Walker or Rollator: Which Walking Aid Fits?What a cane, a standard walker and a rollator each do, how OrthoInfo says to fit them, and the stairs and standing rules that apply to all three.

older white bathtub with a metal faucet against a tiled wall and a blue shower curtain

Bathroom SafetyBathroom Fall Prevention Checklist for Seniors: Seven ChecksSeven bathroom checks from MedlinePlus and the CDC: non-slip mats, grab bars, a shower chair, a higher toilet seat, a night path and water temperature.

Where to Start

The bathroom: the bathroom fall prevention checklist turns MedlinePlus and CDC advice into seven checks, and shower chair or transfer bench helps you choose between two seats.
Walking aids: cane, walker or rollator explains the three and gives OrthoInfo's fit and safety rules.

Every article names its sources at the bottom and links to the buying guides that compare products.