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Bathroom Safety in Pictures

Door and light in the bathroom

A bathroom door lock with an emergency release, a door that cannot be blocked from inside, and a light you can find in the dark are the three things to check here. Guidance for new homes in England asks for WC-room doors to open outwards1; in an older home it is your own judgement.

Updated , by Bathroom Safety in Pictures

Plain white door with a long pull handle beside a pedestal basin, red floor123
A door in a public building, not a home. Notice the long pull handle, which can be used with a forearm or a loose grip, and how close the basin sits to the door.
  1. 1Door locks
  2. 2Light at night
  3. 3Sight and memory

Pictures for the door and the light

AI pictureDoor locksGetting in when someone can't answerNight lightingSeeing the way without glarePoor sight or memoryContrast, light and clear signs

Why the door and the light belong together

Both come down to the same moment: someone on their own, at night or in a hurry, who needs to get in, get help or see where they are putting their feet. Alzheimer's Society advice for people with dementia is never to lock the bathroom door if you live alone, and to leave a light on or use motion sensor lights at night2. Pocklington Trust lists low light, uneven lighting, shadows and glare as common problems3. The pages below show what that looks like in ordinary rooms, and the older parent page puts the checks in the order a worried family might work through them.

Sources

  1. MHCLG: Approved Document M, Volume 1 (2015 with 2016 amendments) Building regulations guidance for England; applies to new homes
  2. Alzheimer's Society: Making your home dementia friendly
  3. Pocklington Trust: Lighting guide (2021)