Stair Treads—Retirement Facility and Home Safety for Seniors Citizens

Talk to any senior citizen and you’ll quickly understand that one of the most important qualities to maintain as one grows older is a sense of independence. Whether it’s the ability to drive one’s self to the grocery store or something as big as being able to continue living at home rather than a retirement facility—independence comes to us in many ways and forms. According to the National Safety Council, “adults 55 and older are more prone to becoming victims of falls, and the resulting injuries can diminish the ability to lead active, independent lives.” And also, “The number of fall deaths among those 65 and older is four times the number of fall deaths among all other age groups.” It’s pretty obvious how a serious injury can diminish anyone’s independence, regardless of age—so protecting one’s ability to lead active and autonomous lives is very important. But nowhere is a fall as dangerous as it is upon stairs, because the difference in levels can mean a prolonged fall, filled with hard corners and edges. Employing rubberized stair treads within one’s home can create a more secure environment, allowing an individual to enjoy their own home for many more years. The use of non-skid step pads within retirement facilities can help combat the number of serious injuries to residents, allowing for senior citizens to enjoy a healthier and happier quality of life. Available as both indoor and outdoor stair mats, these treads will be easy to install and use in a number of settings.

If you’re overwhelmed with stairway flooring ideas allow us to make a case for rubberized stair treads! Check out these 3 reasons why we think our non-skid step pads are the best solution for the needs of any stairwell—inside and outside, home or retirement facility!

• Slip Resistant Steps

Just because we get older doesn’t mean we stop enjoying all the wonders that the world has to offer. But getting out into the world means having to cross the threshold of the door and often times walk down some stairs! Stairs are already pretty dangerous terrain for any age group, but if you add moisture, snow, or debris after a windstorm, then you could suddenly find yourself in a high-hazard location. And climbing up and down stairs without added security just doesn’t seem like a risk anyone should be willing to take. Outdoor stair mats will often come with a raised design upon their surface, which adds traction to the already naturally high quality of friction attributed to rubber.

Out of the many stairway flooring ideas that are available, rubber surfacing has natural water resistance advantages that makes it especially well-suited for wet environments.

• Added-Grip

Many people think that traction and grip are interchangeable—and to a certain degree they might be, considering how much they affect one another. But grip and traction are definitely two separate things. In rubber, grip is a naturally occurring property, while traction comes from the design that is molded onto the surface of stair treads. On outdoor stair mats, together, grip and traction provide amazing anti-slip qualities, but grip alone can also help people maintain surer footing even in dry conditions. Falling doesn’t always happen as a result of slips due to moisture—sometimes, people can very simply lose their footing, trip, or get accidentally bumped. The natural grip of non-skid step pads will create a stronger bond between the soles of people’s shoes and the surface they’re standing on, thus helping anyone stay on their own feet.

• Secure Installation

Installation of treads is relatively easy, requiring little technical knowledge. Indoor or outdoor stair mats need only be laid out appropriately upon the surface of the stairs. However, for safety applications of this degree we recommend the use of double-sided adhesives that will make treads into a semi-permanent fixture. Over-all, this still requires very little work—much less work than applying a singular piece of long carpeted runner, which will be a lot harder to maintain and clean up!

Protecting your independence starts at home, but can go well into life within a retirement facility! A nasty fall could lead to painful bruises, broken bones, and even death—but with the correct flooring for hazardous areas like stairs, the risk is greatly diminished. There really are many stairway flooring ideas, but we’re certain that rubberized stair treads are the best answer for any need—whether it’s your home or for the retirement facility where you live or work in. These specialized treads aren’t just intended for the safety of senior citizens, because anyone and everyone are susceptible to falls.