How to help an older person shower and bath?

How to help an older person shower and bath?

The role of caregivers at home is important in maintaining the personal hygiene of seniors. Therefore, it is important that home caregivers enter into the conversation with the elderly to decide how best to help them, how often and at what time of day the patient prefers to be washed. Washing can also bring a sense of routine in the life of the older.

It is therefore very important that the Commission should be able to take a decision on this matter.Keeping the customer's dignity The older must be at any time at ease and feeling respected Below you will find some steps to make bathing run smoothly, safely and dignified. 

1. Review the situation

First, see if the care plan of the older information about baths contains any guidelines. If there are no guidelines, sit with the client, perhaps also with a lover, and talk to him or her about how he or she wants to proceed.how often and when the person wants to be washed Work with the client as always to make sure you understand his or her preferences and help him or her design his orher own care.

2. Adjustments to the home

Then you have to determine which materials are available for you and whether adjustments to the house are needed. There are many options to make the bath situation safer. To avoid accidents, you can use Anti-slip mats, Wall brackets, Grabbing posts, Bath seats , Bathboards, bath steps, etc...

If any adjustments are needed, please talk to the customer or his/her family about how to use this safety measures It is also important to always encourage the older to get washed as often as possible. 

3. Preparation for bathing

Make sure that the room is a comfortable temperature Ask the customer if he/she is comfortable with the temperature. Close doors and windows to prevent draft. Make the room messy and see if anything remains on the ground that can be dangerous. Bring everything the older person needs within reach. Remove any jewelry you wear to prevent damage to the patient's skin. 

4. What do you need?

• Three washcloths
• Two towels
• Soap or soap-free cleaner
• Tear-free shampoo or dry shampoos
• Body lotion for dry skin

5. Helping an older shower

Encourage the customer to do as much of the shower as possible. Guide the older person through every step by talking to him/her. Relax the person and make sure that the older one is relaxed, because often people find this an uncomfortable situation. Use a washcloth and soap to the face and all other easily accessible places wash the body. Then wash with the second washcloth body from top to bottom. Help the older ones with the hard to reach places. The third washcloth serves to help the older one with the genital areas Place a towel over the shoulders and lap of the older one. Then dry him/her with circular, massaging movements. It is important that the complete skin is dry, because moist skin is more vulnerable to molds. Apply the lotion if the customer asks. Check the skin for rash, ulcers or red spots. To get the patient safely out of the shower you first dry all the supports. Then help when dressing, drying the hair and applying shaving or makeup if necessary. 

6. An older wash in bed.

If possible, set the customer's bed so that it is on a comfortable height This is usually considered as waist height.
Lay a waterproof sheets or towels under the customer to prevent the bed from getting wet.
As in showering, it is important to talk to the patient every step of the way. Let the customer undress as much as possible, but help him if necessary. If they take off their clothes, put a sheet over their body to help them dignity and privacy Leave the client on his back, with his legs slightly apart. While you wash each part of the body, fold a small portion of the sheet back. This will preserve the dignity of the client and prevent him or her from getting cold.
Let the client wash as much of his own body as possible. Start washing the face and continue down, to the neck, armpits, torso, etc. Use a gentle massaging motion with the washcloths. Make sure you wash yourself in skin folds. Check the skin for signs of rash, red spots or ulcers.Dry the customer gently with the first towel, again in sections.
Roll the customer on his back. If the customer cannot help, a second person is needed. Again, clean the client's back starting at the top and work down your way. Use the third washcloth to wash the customer's genitals from front to back. Dry the customer back and genitalia with the second towel. Roll the client gently on the back and wash the client hair with Dry shampoo. Apply the body lotion and help the customer to dress up. Help the customer with shaving or makeup, according to the customer's instructions.

Bathing can be an extreme enjoyable experience It has both physical and psychological advantages. It can be the beginning of a new day, or time to go to bed depending on the background and routine of each person.

Helping residents to continue their baths at home helps them to keep up with normal business in their lives. It helps them continue a routine that is often maintained throughout their life and allows clients to take on one of the simple pleasures Of life.

If it is with dignity and respect is helping a home care client to bathe, a task that many of us take for granted, something to be proud of.safe and smooth there are some useful tools to let run. Therefore, check out our full range shower tools or bath aids.