Monday, 16 September 2019

Understanding Difficult Dementia Behaviours and Personal Hygiene

If your elderly loved one is suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s, you may find that they suddenly become resistant to bathing and showering. This can make their senior home caregiver’s life endlessly tricky. The reality is that there are any number of reasons why this resistance may be occurring, as well as several ways in which to solve the problem and effectively maintain their hygiene going forward.

Why Do People with Dementia Dislike Bathing?

In many cases, it isn’t that the person has suddenly developed a dislike for bathing. Their resistance to a bath can often be attributed to their memory loss – often, they believe that they have just hopped out of the tub even when, in reality, it has been days since they last cleansed themselves.

In other instances, memory loss makes it difficult for people with dementia to determine which bath products are used for what purpose. This confusion can lead them to avoid trying to figure it out altogether. Refusing to bath is often a sign of pure frustration!

The most common reason, however, is fear. Some elderly people may develop a fear of slipping and falling in the bath, while others will dislike the feeling of the water on their skin. While these fears may be unfounded, especially in the instances when they have someone assisting them, they are very real to the person himself/herself. 

Solutions

One of the best ways to get a senior with dementia to bathe is to offer them an incentive that takes the focus off of the act. For example, offer to take them out on a scenic walk once they’re clean, or to cook them their favourite meal. It is also a good idea to go out of your way to make bath time as comfortable as possible. Warm up the bathroom beforehand, install grab bars for extra stability, as well as a shower chair should they need to rest for a bit if showering.

In some situations, it may be time to consider replacing baths or showers with simple sponge baths. Most independent elderly carers are trained to do this.  

Have Realistic Expectations

While you may bathe every single day, it can often be completely unrealistic to expect this of your elderly loved one. The good news is that research has shown that neglecting to bathe every day will not have any lasting effect on their health. So, if they aren’t keen, there's no need to push it. As long as they have a weekly 'bath', their caregiver changes their clothing at least once a day, and they use wipes or a washcloth to keep personal areas clean in between washes, they should be just fine!

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