Hosting family reunions on a regular basis throughout the years is an excellent way to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to bond with one another and share memories that will enrich the lives of everyone in attendance.
Making sure that your guests have access to restrooms is an important consideration to make when planning your next outdoor family reunion event. Not only should there be enough restrooms available for all your guests, but you should take some steps to enhance safety and convenience for your elderly guests.
Opt for ADA Compliant Restroom Rentals
By renting only ADA compliant portable restrooms, you’ll ensure that elderly guests at your family reunion can use any bathroom that is available instead of having to wait for just one or two designated restrooms to open up.
ADA compliant restrooms are designed to enable wheelchair access, which means that there is no step for grandparents to worry about when they enter and exit the restrooms. The doors are nice and wide for easy and safe access, and features such as handrails and recessed trash receptacles are typically available inside.
And because ADA compliant portable restrooms offer enough space inside for wheelchairs to move around, elderly family reunion guests can be accompanied by a family member or healthcare provider for assistance while using the bathroom.
Place the Restrooms on a Solid Surface
It’s important not to place your rented portable restrooms in any areas where it might get muddy or wet, as this can make access to the restrooms dangerous for anyone who is in a wheelchair or using a cane, or who is simply a little wobbly on their feet.
If there is no concrete ground to put the portable restrooms on, put some plywood on the grass or dirt and place the restrooms on it. Stake the corners of the plywood down to ensure that it doesn’t lift when people walk onto it.
Wheelchairs and walkers shouldn’t have trouble getting onto the plywood surface. You can apply slip-resistant tape on the plywood to minimize the chance of people slipping if the surface gets wet as time goes on.
Make Seating Available for When Lines Form
If lines start to form for the portable restrooms, your elderly family reunion guests may find it hard to stand around waiting without getting tired or feeling unstable on their feet. Making seats available for your guests will help make the wait for a restroom more convenient and comfortable.
Putting out too many chairs can make the space around your portable restrooms seem cluttered and confusing, so set up just one or two chairs in the vicinity for each restroom that you’ve made available to guests. Make sure the chairs you make available can be easily folded and put aside or moved when necessary.
Surround the Restrooms with “Parking” Spaces
There needs to be storage room for things like wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and strollers so that thee restroom area doesn’t become too crowded while your family reunion is in full swing. If there is no designated area to store these things for people while they’re using the restroom, your elderly guests may get injured by trying to navigate around them.
So, consider using rocks or tape to create small “parking” spaces around the sides and backs of each portable restroom that you make available at your family reunion. People can then park their walkers and strollers in the stalls to ensure that the front areas of the restrooms remain free and clear of clutter.
Post Clear Signs to Guide Proper Utilization
To make sure that the restrooms stay safe, clean, and accessible for everyone, especially your elderly family reunion guests, post some clearly written signs on the portable restrooms and within the vicinity that helps guide the proper utilization of the area.
If you want to dedicate one or two restrooms just to younger and elderly guests, mark those restrooms with signs that are large enough to read from a few feet away.
You may even want to post gentle reminders to the younger crowd they should assist elderly guests whenever and however possible around the restroom area. This should help ensure that kids don’t go running wild under their grandparents’ feet and that younger adults take the time to make sure that their elderly family members are well taken care of.
Contact us today and schedule a consultation so we can help you decide on the type and number of portable restrooms to make available at your upcoming family reunion.