I remember attending a lecture at a Texas Geriatrics Society meeting back in the early 1980s. The presenter, one was one of the grand old men of the then emerging field of Geriatric Medicine that was not yet a specialty recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. He distinguished the syndrome of geriatric falls from falls that were the consequence of a neurological event – a stroke, a seizure, or something other than strictly a fall.
Falls are an important geriatric syndrome, typically multi-factorial in their underlying causes, and they are the leading cause of death among folks 65+ years of age. Folks like me and many of my friends.
The causes are many – wet floors, inappropriate footwear, diminished visual acuity, neuropathies of many kinds, loose rugs, objects on the floor that lead to tripping and falling, orthostatic hypotension, arthritis, steps or stairs with no or inadequate handrails, slippery flooring, recreational substance use, and medications, among other risks.
After a thalamic stroke a few years ago, I have lost some of my sense of proprioception; it is most noticeable at the keyboard and when walking on slippery surfaces. After Susan’s foot and knee surgeries this year, her gait has become more tentative and a bit less steady than at her baseline.
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned to Susan that despite having grab bars in our shower, I had been feeling a bit insecure while showering. Our shower is of “roll in” design – no lip or step into the shower such that one could be rolled into it in a shower chair if necessary. The floor is ceramic tile with minimal texture. This design has served us well for the better part of 15 years.
In past years, we have used various plastic appliques in our bathtubs to give our feet a more secure purchase. More recently, we purchased shower mats for Susan to use with her shower chair. They got moldy after some weeks of use, and Maia found them very attractive as scratching surfaces. I decided to look for something better, and went online to look for anything else that could make the floor less slippery.
I came across this Nanotech anti-slip product and ordered 16oz. It works great. It is totally invisible, increases the friction between bare feet and the tile, and thus far seems very durable – requiring no special care.
So, if you are feeling insecure on your porcelain, ceramic or tile floors, you may want to look into this and similar products. Bon chance!