Ageing in Place: A Bathroom Checklist

Staying at home for longer

Most people would prefer to stay in their own homes as they grow older. In West Gippsland, that often means staying in a family home in Warragul, a farmhouse in the hills or a cottage in a country town, close to friends, community and familiar surroundings. The bathroom is one of the most important rooms in making that possible. It is also where many falls at home occur, because hard, wet surfaces, steps into showers and low toilets combine with reduced balance, strength or eyesight.

This checklist helps you assess your current bathroom and plan a renovation that supports ageing in place. It is general guidance. If you or a family member have specific health or mobility needs, an occupational therapist can assess them and recommend features tailored to the person.

Planning ahead, not just reacting

The best time to plan an accessible bathroom is before it is urgently needed. Features such as reinforced walls for grab rails, a step-free shower and adequate circulation space can be built into a renovation at relatively modest extra effort, but adding them later may mean redoing tiles and waterproofing. If you are renovating in your fifties or sixties, it is worth considering how you might use the room in twenty years.

Good accessible design does not need to look clinical. Many features can be integrated into a stylish bathroom that suits anyone, from young children to older visitors.

Getting into the bathroom

• Door width: is the doorway wide enough for a walking frame or wheelchair if needed in future? A wider door or a sliding cavity door can help.
• Door swing: does the door open outward or slide, so it can be opened if someone falls against it inside?
• Threshold: is there a step or raised threshold at the doorway? A flush transition removes a trip hazard.
• Lever handles: are door handles easy to operate with limited grip?
• Locks: can the lock be opened from outside in an emergency?

The shower

• Step-free entry: is the shower level with the bathroom floor, with no hob or step? A level-entry shower with a linear drain is the most accessible option.
• Size: is there room to stand, turn and use a shower chair, with space for a carer if needed?
• Seating: is there a fold-down seat or space for a shower chair?
• Hand shower: is there a hand shower on an adjustable rail, reachable from a seated position?
• Controls: are taps or mixers easy to operate, positioned so they can be reached before stepping under the water, and clearly marked hot and cold?
• Temperature: is hot water limited to a safe temperature to prevent scalding?
• Screen: does the shower screen allow easy entry, or can it be replaced with a fixed panel or curtain for flexibility?
• Niche: are toiletries within easy reach without bending low or stretching high?

The bath

• Do you need a bath at all? Many people find stepping over a bath edge becomes difficult. Removing a bath in favour of a larger shower is a common change.
• If keeping a bath: is it a suitable height, with grab rails nearby and a slip-resistant base?

The toilet

• Height: is the toilet seat at a comfortable height for sitting and rising? Slightly higher pans can help.
• Space: is there room beside the toilet for a carer or a wheelchair transfer?
• Grab rails: are there rails on one or both sides?
• Flush button: is it easy to reach and press?
• Toilet paper holder: is it within reach without twisting?

The basin and vanity

• Height: can the basin be used comfortably while standing or seated?
• Knee space: is there room to sit at the basin if needed, for example with a wall-hung vanity?
• Tapware: are taps easy to turn on and off, such as lever mixers?
• Mirror: can it be seen from a seated and standing position?
• Storage: are drawers easy to open and reach, rather than low cupboards that require bending?

Floors

• Slip resistance: are floor tiles rated for wet barefoot areas, with a textured or matte finish?
• Level surfaces: are there any steps, lips or uneven areas?
• Contrast: is there visual contrast between floor and walls to help people with low vision?
• Mats: are loose bath mats removed or replaced with non-slip options?

Grab rails

• Reinforcement: are walls reinforced behind the linings so rails can be fixed securely now or later?
• Position: are rails located where they are needed: beside the toilet, in the shower and near the bath?
• Style: do rails suit the design of the bathroom? Many attractive options are available in finishes that match tapware.
• Towel rails: remember that towel rails are not designed to bear weight and should not be used as grab rails.

Lighting

• Brightness: is the room evenly lit, without dark corners?
• Glare: are lights positioned to avoid glare on shiny surfaces?
• Night lighting: is there a low-level night light for safe night-time visits?
• Switches: are switches easy to find and reach, perhaps illuminated?
• Task lighting: is the mirror well lit for grooming and medication?

Heating and comfort

• Warmth: can the bathroom be heated quickly in winter? Cold bathrooms can be uncomfortable and contribute to health risks for older people.
• Heated towel rails and underfloor heating: both help comfort and reduce damp.
• Ventilation: an effective exhaust fan reduces condensation and slippery surfaces.

Emergency considerations

• Alarm: is there a way to call for help, such as a personal alarm worn by the person?
• Door: can the door be opened from outside?
• Space: is there room for someone to help if a fall occurs?

Level-entry showers in different homes

Slab homes

On a concrete slab, achieving a level-entry shower usually means recessing the shower area into the slab or building up the rest of the bathroom floor to create falls. Recessing involves cutting and lowering part of the slab, which must be done carefully to avoid affecting reinforcement or services. Building up the floor raises the bathroom above the hallway, which then requires a ramped or tapered threshold.

Timber floors on stumps

In homes on stumps, which are common in Warragul and surrounding towns, the floor framing can often be lowered in the shower area to create falls while keeping the finished floor level with the rest of the room. This involves adjusting joists and adding support, and it is one of the advantages of timber-floored homes for accessible design.

Linear drains

A linear drain, a long channel drain typically placed along one wall or at the shower entry, allows the floor to fall in one direction. This suits large-format tiles and makes it easier to create a seamless, level transition. Point drains in the centre of the shower require falls in four directions, which can make a level entry more complex.

Thinking about carers

If someone may need assistance in future, the bathroom must accommodate two people. That means space beside the toilet and in the shower for a carer to stand, a hand shower they can reach, and controls that can be operated from outside the spray. Doors that slide or open outward make it easier for a carer to enter. Planning for this now avoids difficult changes later.

Cognitive and sensory considerations

For people with memory changes, dementia or low vision, simple design choices help:

• Clear contrast between the toilet seat, floor and walls.
• Familiar, traditional tapware with clearly marked hot and cold.
• Avoiding busy patterned floors that may look like steps or holes.
• Matte finishes that reduce glare and reflections.
• Good, even lighting with night lights.
• Simple layouts where the toilet is visible from the doorway.

An occupational therapist can advise on features suited to a specific person.

Short-term needs

Not every accessibility need is permanent. Recovery from surgery, a broken bone or a period of illness can make an ordinary bathroom difficult to use for weeks or months. A bathroom designed with step-free access, rails and space for a shower chair helps the whole family through these times too.

Funding and assessments

Some people may be eligible for support with home modifications through government programs, such as aged care home support programs or the National Disability Insurance Scheme. These programs often require an assessment by an occupational therapist and may have specific design requirements. If you are seeking funding, contact the relevant program early and involve your renovator once the assessment and recommendations are available.

Design that looks good

An accessible bathroom can be beautiful. Large-format porcelain floors flowing into a level-entry shower, a frameless fixed glass panel, rails in brushed brass or matte black, warm timber-look vanities and layered lighting create a room that feels like a modern retreat rather than a hospital. Thoughtful design makes the bathroom appealing for everyone in the household, and it adds to the home’s appeal for future buyers.

Beyond the bathroom

The route to the bathroom matters too. A clear, well-lit path from the bedroom, without steps, rugs or clutter, reduces the risk of falls at night. Motion-sensor lighting in hallways, handrails on any steps and a bedroom located close to the bathroom all help. In some homes, converting a room near the main bedroom into an ensuite can make a significant difference to independence. When we assess a bathroom for ageing in place, we also look at how it connects to the rest of the home.

Reviewing the checklist over time

Needs change gradually. Revisit this checklist every few years, or after any health change, to see whether small additions such as an extra rail, brighter lighting or a shower chair would help.

How we approach accessible bathrooms

We listen to how you use the bathroom now and how you expect to use it in future. We consider the structure of your home, the layout and any recommendations from an occupational therapist. We design level-entry showers with proper falls and waterproofing to AS 3740, reinforce walls for rails, choose slip-resistant floors and plan lighting and controls for ease of use. Licensed and insured trades complete all plumbing and electrical work.

Talking it through as a family

Ageing-in-place changes work best when everyone who uses the bathroom has a say. An adult child may notice that a parent avoids the bath, while the parent may simply want a basin they can reach while seated. Talking through daily routines before the consultation, including night-time visits, getting dressed and cleaning, helps us design a room that supports independence without feeling medical. Bring any advice from an occupational therapist, as their measurements can be built straight into the plan.

Small trial runs help too. Sit on a kitchen chair where a shower seat might go, reach for an imagined towel rail and walk the path from bed to toilet with the lights off. These simple rehearsals reveal reach, height and lighting needs that drawings alone miss, and they make the consultation far more productive.

Book a design consultation

If you are planning to stay in your Warragul-area home for years to come, book a design consultation. We will review your bathroom against this checklist and design a room that is safe, comfortable and attractive.

Our bathroom services

• Accessible Bathrooms
• Full Bathroom Renovations
• Bathroom Resealing and Silicone Replacement
• Bathroom Tiling
• Ensuite Renovations
• Laundry Renovations
• Bath to Shower Conversions
• Shower Screens
• Small Bathroom Renovations
• Tile and Grout Cleaning
• Vanity Replacement
• Bathroom Waterproofing