Guide to personal hygiene care for the elderly can help with seniors’ prolonging healthy living and confidence because some of them may be not able to clean themselves, may forget to wash, or neglect their hygiene needs. That’s why relatives assist, support, and control by organizing a comfortable space for the care of personal hygiene is an important part of the well-being of their aging loved ones. Taking in mind all the read tips will save everyone from making uncomfortable mistakes.
Hygiene Care for the Elderly
Elderly people need special personal hygiene even more than younger people because aging makes their entire body weak and more susceptible to various germs and infections. Another difficulty is that not all elderly people can easily and calmly accept the fact that they can no longer look after themselves as before and therefore receive help from someone who wants to ensure careful personal hygiene. So knowing the peculiarities of aging and personal hygiene for the elderly will help to make a personal hygiene care plan faster and easier.
Hygiene Care for the Elderly: The Main Components of the Structure
First of all, hygiene can be divided into a few parts-care for hair, teeth and face, hands, hands and legs fingers, and intimate care. Attention must be given to every part regularly so it’s necessary to make a list of routine deeds and follow the system every day. It will help the elderly people to have a stable schedule for the day and not be lost.
Hair: Care for hair includes choosing a shampoo with the mildest possible composition and according to your hair type because the hair of older people becomes thinner and weaker, so careful daily combing and washing your hair as rarely as possible per week will help maintain its strength and pleasant appearance.
Teeth: The teeth and the faces of elderly people need to be washed every day. Using mild toothpaste will give good protection to the teeth. Control the seniors with dentures because they need to practice good hygiene by rinsing their dentures after eating, cleaning their mouth after removing the dentures, brushing the dentures daily, and soaking them at night. Dental care should also involve regular visits to the dentist for oral healthcare checkups. Oral health does not just affect the mouth but has also been linked with other conditions like heart disease. Age cream after washing can help avoid excessive dryness of facial skin.
Nails: Cutting nails may not be very pleasant for elderly people as they become harder in old age, but there is no reason to ignore this procedure and importantly get rid of them regularly as they can accidentally cause discomfort to an elderly person or someone who cares about personal hygiene.
Intimate care: It consists of showering or bathing 3 or 4 times a week and an everyday washing of the genitals. This is a very sensitive element of personal hygiene for elderly people since there is a moment of embarrassment and inconvenience for both sides of this process. But it’s not necessary to focus on this. On the contrary, it is important to create a pleasant and trusting atmosphere because this will help the elderly person be happier. Be ready to turn on the favorite music and support a casual and natural talk to distract the elderly person from the hygiene tasks at hand. Try to allow them to maintain as much independence as possible but do not be afraid to assist when it is obviously needed.
There is one more point about this part. Accompaniment to the toilet should be unobtrusive and also accompanied by an acceptable norm of independence for an elderly person.
Personal Hygiene Care Plan for the Elderly
Comfort, proper structure, and regular repetition of rituals in personal hygiene care for the elderly make life easier. Making a personal hygiene care plan may take some time and thinking through everything to the smallest detail, but it’s worth it. Here are the main advice and methods which can lead to the desired results.
Personal Hygiene for Elderly Care: Establish a Schedule
Some procedures in personal hygiene care for the elderly person need to be repeated daily, and some are followed only a few times a week. Therefore, consider a convenient time and day for certain procedures, taking into attention the elderly person’s schedule, health, and mobility. This will save a lot of time that could be spent on leisure or the interests of the elderly person.
Personal Hygiene Care for the Elderly: Organize Safety Measures in the Bathroom and Toilet
Falls are highly popular cases in the bathroom due to slippery floors, low toilet seats, and inadequate towel racks and grab bars. That’s why safety is one of the first things that needs to be cared for. Add a raised toilet seat, place non-slip mats on the floor of the shower or tub, toilet, and bathroom, and install grab bars to make it easier for elderly people to get in and out of the tub. If seniors have difficulty standing for long periods it’s necessary to have a shower chair or transfer bench.
Personal Hygiene for Elderly Care: Respect the Person’s Modesty
Seniors may feel uncomfortable when someone else helps them shower or bathe. So it is important to protect the elderly person’s modesty. Allow to cover the body parts with a towel that are not being active. When cleaning the person’s genitals, allow him to help you wash these areas. Have a towel and clean clothes ready for the person when he leaves the shower or bath.
Personal Hygiene Care for the Elderly: Find the Right Products for the Personal Hygiene Care of Elderly People
Buy in advance all skin care products that are appropriate for the age of the person you are caring for. The skin of elderly people becomes dry, thin, and brittle. The non-scented or light-scented lotions or creams help keep skin soft and hydrated.
Personal Hygiene for Elderly Care: Other Important Moments to Pay Attention for
It’s impossible to do everything perfectly in the hygiene care for the elderly so do your best following the main aspects and always ask the person if he feels comfortable. Seniors can be afraid of talking about their emotions so look at his reaction and how to do something differently to make him feel better. It’s important to be attentive to the individual features of every elderly person. Remember that not all family members can be caregivers and sometimes seniors are not comfortable receiving assistance with personal hygiene care from their loved ones. When situations happen like this, it is best to bring in a professional trained to provide direct care to the elderly. Special agencies can help to find such a person and provide recommendations and safety of the elderly person who needs personal hygiene care.
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