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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

How safe are grab bars for the elderly?



Okay, the only reason I’m writing about this subject is because we have these grab bars in the bathroom stalls at work.  It didn’t occur to me that they can be just as much of a hazard as they can be a help.  Let me explain.

Maybe this is only my issue.  But we have only thirty minutes for lunch where I work part-time a few days a week.  Naturally we have to rush through this time so there’s enough time to use the facilities before going back to our stations. 

To make matters worse, because of the short lunch time, I always take my lunch and we have to carry clear purses so I tuck my lunch in there and take my bag with me to the break room for lunch.  I usually take rice cakes and peanut butter and some grapes.  I eat this for lunch every day.  Good thing I like this stuff and it needs no refrigeration and is fairly fast to chomp down.  And not fattening either, which is a good thing.

So I have to allow myself about ten minutes at the end of my break to use the ladies room.  Sometimes there’s a line in there, as all of us girls know, and although I’m not apposed to using the men’s somehow I think they’d frown on that at work. 

I have to carry the clear purse with me along with my clear plastic glass of water and my timer to keep me on schedule because I have to make a beeline from the bathroom back to work as fast as I can go.


Well by the time you get all this stuff in the stall with you there’s little time, believe me.  Because of all this I was in such a rush last week that I whacked my head hard on the grab bar gathering up all my stuff to leave so I could wash my hands and get back to work on time.  I almost knocked myself out and had quite a bump on my head for a few days.  Has this happened to anyone or am I the only klutz around?

10 comments:

  1. Sounds painful; I would almost remote it as a worker comp type thing or for them to be aware of; I'm sure you weren't the only one that has ever done something like this; if it was a customer, I bet they would have complained one way or the other.

    betty

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    Replies
    1. Betty,

      You're right. I'm sure a customer would have reported it. I know the bars are there for people who need them so it was probably my haste that caused that incident. I'm always in a hurry at work because we have to carry timers with us and be back ON TIME, no exceptions.

      Thanks for reading and your comment.

      Sunni

      Delete
  2. Sorry about your head. I'm disabled and wouldn't be able to get off the toilet if there wasn't a bar there.

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    Replies
    1. John,

      I totally understand and that's why the bars are there. Unfortunately, I'm always in a hurry at work. Thirty minutes isn't long enough to eat and take care of other business before it's back to work.

      Thanks for reading and your comment.

      Sunni

      Delete
  3. Ouch! I've bumped my head on many things, but not on the bar. Yet. I'm sure it'll happen one of these days.

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    Replies
    1. Liz,

      Things always happen one of these days. It's only a matter of time, at least that's they way it is in my life. You have to be aware at all times no matter how big of a hurry you're in.

      Thanks for your comment.

      Sunni

      Delete
  4. Grab bars are safe when used properly, and my disabled husband needs them to get up when sitting and for stability when walking. Work places do tend to cram a lot of stuff into the stalls sometimes without a lot of thought. I tend to bump my head on opened cabinet doors that I forget to shut before bending down. That hurts!

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    Replies
    1. DG,

      I know grab bars are necessary and should be there. I tend to bump my head on lots of stuff too - all the time - or quite a bit I should say. I guess I'm just a klutz and forget there are open doors in the way, etc.

      Thanks for your comment.

      Sunni

      Delete
  5. Oh Sunni, I'm so sorry that happened to you. Lunch time seems very stressful at your place of employment. I wouldn't even bother taking a lunch break if all I had was 30 minutes. Can't you go to the restroom right after lunch? Who do you work for?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Vashti,

      Things can get stressful if you let them. We only have 30 minutes, so I always take a couple of rice cakes and peanut butter and a handful of grapes. There's no time for anything else.

      I work doing demos at Costco. It's only PT so I guess I can stand anything two-three days a week and an occasional 4. I've started leaving myself ten minutes to use the restroom because you never know if there will be a line in there. You also need walking time to get through all the shoppers if your station is at the other end of the store.

      Thanks for leaving a comment.

      Sunni

      Delete

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