How do I make the bathroom safer after a fall?
Small changes in the bathroom can lower the risk of another fall. What to change, what Medicare pays for, and where to get the items near you.
What to change first
Add grab bars by the toilet and in the tub or shower. Use a non-slip mat or strips. Light the path from the bed to the bathroom at night. Keep things your parent uses often within easy reach.
A shower chair or tub bench lets your parent sit to wash. A raised toilet seat or a bedside commode can help if getting up is hard.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a free MyMobility Plan with a home safety checklist.
What does Medicare pay for?
The table below shows Medicare's answer for common bathroom items. Some Medicare Advantage plans add bathroom safety items, so ask the plan.
Ask your parent's doctor for a physical or occupational therapy check after a fall. Read which walker is safest for my parent?.
Where to get the items
Our bedside commode page shows Medicare's price for your ZIP code. Find medical equipment suppliers near you that take Medicare.
| Item | Medicare's answer |
|---|---|
| grab bars | Medicare does not pay for grab bars or raised toilet seats. |
| a shower chair | Medicare sees a shower chair as a comfort item, so it does not pay. |
| a bedside commode | Part B helps pay for a commode chair if you can't leave your bed or room. |
From PlanScout's Medicare coverage answers, each sourced to Medicare.gov or Medicare's coverage rules.
Checklist
- Grab bars by the toilet and in the shower or tub.
- Non-slip mat or strips.
- Night lights from the bed to the bathroom.
- Shower chair or tub bench.
- Raised toilet seat or bedside commode if getting up is hard.
- Ask the doctor about a therapy check after the fall.
Common questions
Does Medicare pay for grab bars?
Medicare does not pay for grab bars or raised toilet seats.
Does Medicare pay for a shower chair?
Medicare sees a shower chair as a comfort item, so it does not pay.
Does Medicare pay for a bedside commode?
Part B helps pay for a commode chair if you can't leave your bed or room.
Do you know what to do next?
Sources
- Written by
- The PlanScout team. Updated Oct 26, 2026.
- Corrections
- See something wrong? Tell us. We fix confirmed errors within 2 business days and note the change in the page's change log.
This guide is general information, not medical, legal, or financial advice. Confirm details with the provider, your plan, or a licensed professional.