For ageing senior citizens, what are the best flooring options for bedrooms and living rooms?
Answers
I think carpeting is a safe option for both parts because it’s non-slippery. But cleaning it can be troubling.
Another good choice is Linoleum. It costs more, but it looks good and is easy to clean. It can get icy, though, so it’s better to wear slippers. And one thing more, avoid ceramic and tiles since they can get pretty slippery and increase the risk of falling down.
For ageing senior citizens, first, you must consider the following five main factors:
1. Slip resistance- non-slip resistance even when wet
2. Ease of travel- easy to move over even with a care walker or wheelchair
3. Cleaning and maintenance
4. Comfort- how it feels underfoot
5. Cushion- offers shock absorption in the event of fall.
The top consideration is comfort in the living room, and in the bedroom, ease of travel is the top one. Therefore, for the bedroom, you can use carpet. It is comfortable and protects against injury from falls. For the living room, you can use cork.
While there are pros and cons to all available options, there are a couple of factors to consider before flooring the living room and bedrooms of your loved one’s place. Carpeting increases the room’s overall temperature, which should not be a problem unless your loved one has a condition that makes them sensitive to warmth. Also, because of carpeting’s hardness, one is more than likely enough to break or fracture a bone or two after a somewhat-heavy fall.
Another issue with carpeting is the constant need for cleansing – if not, dust and pet dander can get retained under and around the edges of the carpets, making it more than the possible candidate of causing allergies and other related immune system problems. Wood or other variations like faux wood are attractive and visually pleasing, but they are often slippery – regardless of their finish. They are easy to clean and won’t cause allergy issues like carpeting.
Still, if your loved one likes to take mini-tours of their house with their bare feet or socks on, there’s a high chance that they might slip and fall. Given their toughness, bone fractures from falling are yet again a risk that you can’t easily overlook if you want to floor your loved one’s place.
Choosing a flooring material for senior homeowners doesn’t need to be complicated. The trick is to consider a few factors and decide how and where you will use them.
For example:
Is the flooring material slip-resistance even when wet?
Is the material easy to move over if you use a cane, walker, or wheelchair?
How much work does it need to clean and maintain the floor?
Is the flooring material comfortable underfoot?
Does the material offer any shock absorption if you fall?
The vitality of these qualities may differ depending on the location. For instance, if you’re searching for bathroom flooring, choosing a non-slip material that’s easy to walk on and is simple to clean and maintain is necessary. Ease of travel is the priority in a hallway, while comfort may be the top concern in a living room.
Here are the advantages of choosing a carpet:
• Soft
The carpet should be comfortable underfoot and protect against injury from falling. A high-quality carpet pad under the carpeting can significantly improve both the comfort and safety of your house.
• Warm
The carpet is almost uninvolved in temperature: it doesn’t hold heat or cold like hard flooring materials. While it doesn’t protect you against cold, it’s much more pleasant for your feet to be on carpet rather than a cold ceramic tile, for instance.
• Quiet
The carpet absorbs noise and is practically silent to walk on.
Drawbacks
• Air Quality
The carpeting fibers usually collect dirt and dust that floats into the air, and it’s hard to remove all dirt using a vacuum. This might be a problem for seniors with allergies or respiratory sensitivities. Some carpeting may contain off-gas chemicals, mainly when they are new.
• Cleaning
Carpeting is not a suitable choice for wet areas, like bathrooms or kitchens. It stains rather quickly and is hard to deep-clean. Plus, it usually needs a professional carpet cleaner.
• Travel
Some wheelchairs don’t roll over the carpet quite smoothly. Primarily, a long-pile rug can act as a trip hazard; that’s why carpet for older citizens must have a pile no more than 1/2 inch thickness, and the padding under the rug should be thin and firm.
• Softness
Cork is a smart choice in the hard or soft debate. Corky carpets have a smooth, washable surface but still, give some cushion under your foot. It’s not as loud as hard materials and offers some warm and sound insulation qualities, and is also hard enough for practical wheelchair travel.
• Cleaning
A cork floor is relatively easy to clean and care for. All that is needed is to sweep or vacuum regularly.
Drawbacks
• Water and Damage
Cork is so soft, and it can be damaged relatively easily; punctures from furniture legs, heels, or any sharp object scraping its surface can damage the fabric. It’s only slightly resistant to water:
Spills should be cleaned immediately since standing water can damage the material’s core.
While there are pros and cons to all available options, there are a couple of factors to consider before flooring the living room and bedrooms of your loved one’s place. Carpeting increases the room’s overall temperature, which should not be a problem unless your loved one has a condition that makes them sensitive to warmth. Also, because of carpeting’s hardness, one is more than likely enough to break or fracture a bone or two after a somewhat-heavy fall.
Another issue with carpeting is the constant need for cleansing – if not, dust and pet dander can get retained under and around the edges of the carpets, making it more than the possible candidate of causing allergies and other related immune system problems. Wood or other variations like faux wood are attractive and visually pleasing, but they are often slippery – regardless of their finish. They are easy to clean and won’t cause allergy issues like carpeting.
Still, if your loved one likes to take mini-tours of their house with their bare feet or socks on, there’s a high chance that they might slip and fall. Given their toughness, bone fractures from falling are yet again a risk that you can’t easily overlook if you want to floor your loved one’s place.
