This topic came to me while watching "World's Worst Tenants" on Spike yesterday. The show is about a former Marine who with his wife and another Marine act on behalf of landlords to serve tenants eviction notices, 24 hour inspections, and so forth. One story involved a tenant who paid on time who was a few days late and had had no contact with the landlord. Normally, they cannot enter without tenant permission if the place is occupied. Upon cracking the door, they heard a voice crying for help.
Turns out the tenant has slipped and fallen in the tub and had been there for at least 3 days. The tenant also happened to be a larger person, so it was even harder on him to get out. An ambulance was called and it all worked out, but it got me thinking.
EVERYONE of EVERY size needs to exercise caution if they live alone. Make sure you have no slip bath mat or strips in the tub and a no slip mat/rug outside of the tub. If you need a bath stool, make sure that it fits your tub and your weight. The stool should allow for you to swing your legs over the edge of the tub if you cannot stand. Take a cordless phone or your cell with you so that if you do fall, you can call for help. Clean your tub/shower regularly and keep the floor clear of any obstacles.
If you own your home, you may want to think about gripper handles and possibly installing a phone in the bathroom. These tips also work for those of us with older parents. If you can, check on them daily, and if you live alone, make arrangements with someone to check in with on a regular basis. This way,if they don't hear from you, and by that I mean you,not a text or email, they can come over in person and physically check on you.
It is not possible to keep things from happening, but if you can take all the precautions you can, the better it is.
Turns out the tenant has slipped and fallen in the tub and had been there for at least 3 days. The tenant also happened to be a larger person, so it was even harder on him to get out. An ambulance was called and it all worked out, but it got me thinking.
EVERYONE of EVERY size needs to exercise caution if they live alone. Make sure you have no slip bath mat or strips in the tub and a no slip mat/rug outside of the tub. If you need a bath stool, make sure that it fits your tub and your weight. The stool should allow for you to swing your legs over the edge of the tub if you cannot stand. Take a cordless phone or your cell with you so that if you do fall, you can call for help. Clean your tub/shower regularly and keep the floor clear of any obstacles.
If you own your home, you may want to think about gripper handles and possibly installing a phone in the bathroom. These tips also work for those of us with older parents. If you can, check on them daily, and if you live alone, make arrangements with someone to check in with on a regular basis. This way,if they don't hear from you, and by that I mean you,not a text or email, they can come over in person and physically check on you.
It is not possible to keep things from happening, but if you can take all the precautions you can, the better it is.