If you have been taking care of your elderly loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease, then you might have already tried to give them a bath if they needed help. The problem is that many people don’t want others to help them take a bath. This is very private and accepting help can be tough. However, your elderly loved one might physically need them help to prevent body odor and infections. There are some tips that can make this process easier.
Offering Empowerment
One of the ways that your elderly loved one might be more willing to accept your help is by offering them empowerment. Your elderly loved one might already feel they don’t have control over their life. It is essential that you give them control in some ways. Instead of telling your loved one “it is time for you to take your bath”, you can ask “would you want to take your shower now or this evening?”.
Respecting Your Loved One
It is important that you always respect your loved one. If you need to help them take a bath or a shower, you can have them hold a towel up while you or their elder care provider help them get their clothes off. This gives them a bit of privacy and shows that you respect them. It could help to make your loved one less anxious about the situation.
Routines
Routines can help your elderly loved one to be more accepting of help when they are bathing. If they know that every other day they are going to take a shower (with help) at 8 a.m., they might begin to feel more comfortable accepting the help.
Getting Help
Your elderly loved one might not want anyone close to them to give them a bath. This might make them feel extremely uncomfortable. If this is the case, it might be best to hire an elder care provider to assist your elderly loved one with taking their baths.
Safety
Safety for your elderly loved one should always be made a priority. It is important that they are always safe when taking a shower. If your elderly loved one gets frustrated when receiving help with their bath, this could increase their risk of falling. Be sure there are grab bars and other safety measures in place to keep them safe.
These are some of the things that you might need to know about bathing and Alzheimer’s disease. Helping your elderly loved one with bathing might not be easy on either one of you. Just remember that there are always people who can help if needed.
Sources
https://order.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2019-03/Caring_for_a_person_with_AD_508_0.pdf
If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Parker, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare today at 303-953-9924.
