What is the safest floor covering for seniors?

When it comes to putting down floor surfaces in the houses of older people, there are specific considerations that apply. Many people become less steady on their feet when they are elderly, so any choice of flooring should not exacerbate that by being slippery when it gets wet.

Equally, older people often have more brittle bones than those who are younger. This means that a fall can cause much more serious damage and, therefore, the floor choices should militate against that by providing some cushioning.

There is more than one type of flooring that will be a safe option for the elderly though, so we have provided more details of each of them in this piece.

Carpeting

Putting carpets on the floors of a home that will occupied by an elderly person is by far the best and safest choice. For one thing carpets provide just the sort of softening effect that will help to ensure that, if he or she does suffer a fall, it is less likely to result in a major injury.

Another big benefit of fitting carpets on the floors of an elderly person’s home is that they are very effective at retaining warmth in a room. That is because carpets seal off gaps, preventing heat from escaping. We all tend to feel the cold more as we get older, so carpets are a great choice for frequently used rooms like the living room and bedroom.

It is important to vacuum them regularly though, as the dust and dirt they trap can lead to respiratory issues. Also, they are not really suited to kitchens and bathrooms, where spillages and water could damage them.

Carpet tiles

Having carpets fitted is an option that can sometimes be costly, but there are cheaper alternatives like carpet tiles. These are smaller, square tiles made from the same sorts of materials as standard carpets but are generally less expensive to buy and easier to fit.

They provide the same benefits for an older person as regular carpeting, being soft under the feet and helping to stop the heat escaping from a room. This will be the second-best flooring choice for the home of an old person if carpets are beyond their budget.

Vinyl

At first vinyl might seem like it would be a bad choice, because it can be slippery. However, it is possible to get vinyl floors that have been finished in a way that takes away that slipperiness. The best way would be to go for luxury vinyl tiling (LVT) floors rather than standard vinyl.

One reason for this is that luxury vinyl is more likely to have that finishing added to it before installation. Another is that it is always thicker than standard vinyl.

Often luxury vinyl can be up to 8 mm in thickness, whereas standard vinyl floors are a lot thinner than that. Older people will find that luxury vinyl feels much more comfortable underfoot while also giving them greater cushioning in the event of a fall.

Linoleum

Linoleum flooring will be a good choice for the homes of older people in those rooms where carpets are not suitable. That means the likes of the bathroom and the kitchen.

One reason for this is that it can be cleaned very easily after spillages, by wiping it with a wet cloth or a mop. That is very important for the elderly, as they will not want to have to do a lot of hard cleaning work and easy to maintain flooring will ensure they do not need to pay out for a cleaner.

Another benefit of linoleum is that it does not rot when water gets on it, which will be an issue in bathrooms. Finally, it is a very smooth, flat type of floor surface, which means that both walkers and wheelchairs will be able to move easily over it.

Floor surfaces to avoid

Those are the four best flooring choices to make when you are furnishing a home for someone who is elderly, but there is one that should be avoided too.

Laminate

Laminate flooring is a less than ideal option for the home of someone advanced in years, because it provides almost no traction underfoot, which will increase the risk of a fall. If that does happen, a laminate floor will also do very little to break the impact.

Then there is the fact that it is not a floor surface that provides much insulation, so it will not help to trap the heat in a room. This may leave an older person having to pay more in heating bills during the cold months, especially if they live somewhere like Wrexham or Chester where the winters are chilly.

Now you know what the best floors for older people are and more detailed information can be secured from professional flooring experts.