When taking care of a senior parent with Alzheimer’s there are some things that will be awkward for both of you, like helping them with hygiene tasks. As Alzheimer’s progresses, seniors may need specialized personal care at home to help them with things like getting dressed, using the bathroom, and showering.
Often seniors who have Alzheimer’s can’t participate in daily hygiene tasks because they don’t understand or remember what to do. And it can be difficult to communicate with them how to wash their face, or brush their teeth. The caregivers who provider personal care at home have training and experience working with seniors who have Alzheimer’s so they can be a big help keeping seniors who have Alzheimer’s on track with hygiene. Besides getting personal care at home for your senior parent you can do these things to help with their hygiene:
Use Long Lasting Products
You can help seniors maintain good hygiene for longer by using long lasting products or products that will extend the time between showers. Many deodorants now last for 24 hours or more. Some last as long as three days. Applying those deodorants directly after your senior parent showers can keep them odor free for several days. Baby powder can also help. And dry shampoo can soak up oil and dirt on the scalp or in the hair so that their hair is clean and fresh between washes.
Give Them Concrete Options
When helping a senior get dressed, choose a toothpaste, or even pick a lip balm or a body lotion make sure that you’re not overwhelming them with options. A good way to empower your senior parent is to let them choose between just two options. That way they can have the choice of what they want but they’re not confronted by so many options that they get overwhelmed. Simple choices like wearing a blue sweater or a red one, or using the mint toothpaste or the cinnamon, or using the lip balm in the white tube or the yellow tube will make daily hygiene and getting dressed less of a struggle.
Set Days For Certain Tasks
Seniors that have Alzheimer’s thrive on routine. So it’s a good idea to set days for certain tasks, then stick to that. For example, it can be a routine for them to shower every Thursday morning or wash their face and brush their teeth at 9 every night before getting ready for bed. Create a routine for hygiene just like you have a routine for other things.
Explain What You’re Doing Before Doing It
Imagine that your senior parent doesn’t have any clue what you are doing when you are helping them with hygiene tasks. Explain each step that you’re going to do before you do it and give them a second to process that information before you start. For example, tell your senior parent that you’re going to put the toothbrush in their hand, give them a second to process, then put the toothbrush in their hand.
If you or an aging loved one are considering personal care at home in Abilene, TX, please contact the caring staff at Clear Path Home Care today. Call 325-244-0877
Clear Path Home Care provides compassionate, high quality home care in Childress County, Cottle County, King County, Stonewall County, Fisher County, Nolan County, Hardeman County, Foard County, Knox County, Haskell County, Jones County and Taylor County in Texas.
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