5 ways Professional Caregivers Help with Elderly Hygiene Care
Personal hygiene often becomes more challenging as we age. Sometimes, it's not easy for seniors to perform everyday hygiene practices such as bathing, brushing their teeth, and general grooming.
Senior loved ones may have mobility problems, lack of energy, side effects from medication, dementia, depression, and other conditions.
However, some may refuse help with their personal hygiene from their personal/family caregivers. Untrained caregivers may especially find it hard, as taking care of seniors requires patience and skill. While it may be tempting to give up, one cannot express enough the importance of personal hygiene in elderly persons. Elderly and poor hygiene opens the door to health risks as well as poor mental health.
Tending to the hygiene needs of the elderly is just one of the large list of caregiver duties and responsibilities. If you're on the cusp of hiring a professional caregiver or are in need of some professional tips and tricks, we've compiled a list of elderly hygiene tips and ways professional caregivers help improve the hygiene status of the elderly.
1. They Establish a Routine
Establishing a solid routine helps elders stick to it. That way, they won't forget or neglect personal hygiene care. It can be starting with a warm bath in the morning, then dental care and hair care.
However, if they already have a routine, it is best to stick to it. If they prefer a particular shampoo, soap, or even bathing at a specific time of the day, sticking to it helps them feel in control.
2. They Offer Professional Support
Professional caregivers offer professional personal services to your loved one. Some older people feel uncomfortable with family members grooming them, especially when it comes to the bathing part of senior hygiene.
They may feel more comfortable with a non-family member and much better if they are professional. They can have access and know-how to use tools meant for caring for the elders.
Such tools are like Storiicare's Adult Day Care Software, which provides care management systems that caregivers can use to provide high-quality care to seniors.
3. They Provide Essential Hygiene Aids
Mobility problems and lack of stability may make hygiene for seniors difficult and frustrating. Providing them with essential elderly hygiene products and aids can go a long way to make it easier for them to do their grooming.
Shower chairs, no-rinse bathing wipes and shampoo caps, easy to use nail clippers, and shower brushes with long handles can all make it less strenuous for them. Senior hygiene products might even encourage them to do their grooming when they realize it's easier.
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4. They Make Sure the Care Recipient Stays Moisturized
As we age, the skin becomes thin, dry, and brittle. It is also susceptible to tears and bruises. Sores and bruises take longer to heal when people age.
Following up with a moisturizer after bathing can help keep their skin soft and hydrated. You will also avoid issues that accompany dry skin, such as itching, resulting in bruises.
Use hydrating lotions or creams to keep their skin moisturized. You'll want to avoid scented lotions as older people can be nauseous to scents. Also, remember to gently massage the skin when applying the moisturizer to aid in blood circulation.
5. They Stay on Top of Dental Care
Caregivers often overlook dental care in seniors. They may not have some or all their natural teeth, but the gum or dentures also require maintenance.
Ensure they brush their teeth daily or help them if they are unable. If they have dentures, make sure they are cleaned daily, soaked every night, and their gums cleaned after the dentures are removed.
Seniors should also go for a dental check-up at least twice a year. Oral health has been linked to heart disease, which is a risk to older adults. Thus, maintaining proper dental care keeps their mouth clean and helps avoid certain conditions.
Personal Caregiver Tips for Helping Seniors with Hygiene
1. Always Exercise Patience and be Slow to Anger
Tending to caregiver responsibilities is similar to any other job. There will be good and bad days at your work. Older adults sometimes experience mood swings. That friendly person you saw yesterday might be a changed one for the worst today. Maybe, he/she might not be willing to take in any of your assistance; that is from bathing them, helping them with oral care, or even clothing.
Their words might also not be kind enough. In such a case, all you need is patience and try to understand them. Assume you're the relative and that the older person has no one else to help them. Thus, all you need is to give them a little time, engage them in a talk, and maybe he/she will open up on what's the matter.
2. Understand Your Work Limits
Although we said the elderly might be more comfortable with a non-relative helping them, this trick won't always work. As a caregiver, there are days an older person won't be in the mood to connect with you. In such scenarios, never force it. It might ruin the good relationship more. All you need to do is understand your limit and ask for help.
Maybe, there is someone within the family who they will listen to. Asking for help is the best way since essential care such as teeth brushing, feeding, clothing, and taking a bath can not get postponed just because they are not connecting with you at that time.
Taking care of older people can be challenging, especially when it comes to personal hygiene care for the elderly. However, with time it gets easier as they get used to the caregiver. They also have other needs like eye care, hairdressing, and shaving. To keep them comfortable, ensure their personal hygiene is taken care of.
Learn More About Caregiving
Our caregiver's guide goes in depth into everything needed to know about caregiving including:
LEARN MOREAbout the Author
Heman Thuranira is an SEO content writer specializing in blog writing, ghostwriting, and copywriting services at Storiicare. He takes pride in providing SEO optimized, engaging, and high-quality elderly care digital marketing content.
About Carex Health Brands
Carex is your one-stop shop for home medical equipment and for products that assist caregivers with providing the best possible support and care for their loved ones. Carex Health Brands has been the branded leader in in-home, self-care medical products for over 35 years. Our goal is to improve the lives of our customers by bring them quality products that bring dignity back to their lives. With our three nationally distributed brands, Carex Health Brands serves national, regional and independent food, drug and mass retailers along with wholesalers, distributors and medical dealers.
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