Suction Cup Grab Bars vs Mounted Grab Bars

Most accidents happen in the home, with the bathroom being the most hazardous. Seniors are especially vulnerable to injuries, especially falls which are the leading cause of fatal injuries for Americans 65 and older. In fact, more than 18,000 Seniors die every year because of a fall, and the rate continues to rise every year. Therefore, Home Safety and Fall Prevention is the number one priority for Seniors who choose to age in place at home. Home Safety involves many different modalities and types of safety equipment installation to reduce fall risk at home. One of the most common is the installation of Safety Grab Bars.

Pros & Cons

However, there are pros and cons depending on which grab bars you install. There are essentially two different types of grab bars: Suction Cup vs Mounted grab bars.

Suction Cup Grab Bars

Suction Cup grab bars, as the name implies, depend on suction to the wall surface only, and requires no installation. They are inexpensive, and anyone can apply them. However, Suction Cup grab bars are extremely unpredictable as they tend to break loose when least expected, or when needed the most to prevent a fall. Suction Cup grab bars are manufactured to be used for light stability only and not intended to support full body weight to break a fall or maintain balance. Therefore, they are fine as long as you don’t lose your balance, trip, slip, and fall. (Why take that chance!)

Mounted Grab Bars

Mounted Safety Grab Bars are a much safer alternative as they are installed through the wall into studs or using special anchoring systems that are equally strong. These are the only type of Safety Grab Bars that are recommended and professionally installed by Texas Senior Safety.

I am a Licensed Registered Nurse (RN) with 20 years of experience in Home Safety and Home Health. I know exactly what you need and where you need it to reduce your fall risk at home. Remember, there are no short cuts to Home Safety. Call today and allow Texas Senior Safety to take care of you and your loved one.