GROHE looks at the role of the multi-generational bathroom

In recognition of International Day of Older Persons which took place on 1st October, GROHE looked at the ways in which accessible design in the bathroom can make simple tasks usually taken for granted much easier for the ageing population.

The International Day of Older Persons (acknowledged each year on 1st October) is spear-headed by the United Nations and encourages enhanced attention to the particular needs and challenges faced by older persons today.

The awareness day offers an opportunity to look at the multi-generational home and how to prepare our homes to cope with the needs of the elderly to ensure we can remain in them for longer.

According to a recent government report “Future of an Ageing Population”, the UK population is ageing and it is projected that nearly one in seven people will be over 75 years old by 2040. The report highlights the growing significance and importance of the home in later life:

“Suitable housing can significantly improve life in older age, while unsuitable housing can be the source of multiple problems and costs.

"Poor quality housing costs the NHS an estimated £2.5 billion per year. Homes will be increasingly used as places of work and care. Appropriately designed housing, that can adapt to people’s changing needs as they age, has a number of benefits. These benefits include reducing demand on health and care services, and enabling individuals to work more flexibly in later life.”

Extensive R&D and investment from GROHE has allowed the world-leading sanitary manufacturer to look at ways in which bathroom design can improve quality of life.