Caring for people living with dementia: How to overcome objections to showering

Showering can pose a significant challenge for those living with dementedness and their carers.

Spell it's important for elderly people to go on showering regularly, carers often face a struggle in getting the mortal to comply.

Refusal to shower can lead to arguments and even aggression.

The matter to came to HelloCare's attention through with our Aged Care Prole Brook Group on Facebook. A member of the aggroup, Amanda*, asked if others could parcel their tips for how to further a "gravely dejected client who often refuses to cascade".

"I would like some ideas on how to approach this situation" and ways to "prompt" the customer, she asked.

Members of the endure group shared out dozens of useful tips they have gleaned in their years of best-hand feel for.

The stomach chemical group provided the following tips and advice:

• Necessitate the person if they deliver a preferent metre to shower, e.g., do they prefer to shower bath in the aurora or before bed?
• Ask them what their concerns are around showering, and try to nark the bottom of the job. Cover the problems they raise.
• Play music they enjoy; music can put the person in a more positive state of mind.
• Encourage the someone to choose dress they can put on after the shower.
• Build resonance with the somebody, see to it they feel more comfortable in your presence. After totally, showering is a very attribute matter. Reassure the person you are there to help.
• Ask the person if they would suchlike a cup or tea or burnt umber before they shower. Sit and chat with them to make a point they are well-heeled.
• Run the weewe, that can get them thinking perhaps a shower would be nice, after totally.
• Make secure the shower feels unhazardous. For example, are there seize rails and a shower down chair so the person is less likely to fear falling? Place piles of towels on the floor to avoid slipping.
• Propose them a back rub afterwards with moisturiser.
• Let the someone know in approach you bequeath embody there to shower them soh they know what to expect and they are prepared.
• Remind the person how ripe they will feel after showering and in uncontaminating clothes.
• Let the person know showering is good for their tegument.
• Speak to family operating theatre the GP more or less medication.
• Let the person have it away you are going out or bequeath rich person visitors, so IT's important to be fresh and look tidy.
• If the impedance continues, offer a bed bath operating theater face wash as an alternative.

Contempt all this tried and time-tested advice, members of the support group admitted sometimes you merely can not get the person to take a cascade.

In these situations, IT's outdo to let it survive and endeavor again another 24-hour interval.

Each sentence, you can try a dissimilar approach. Conversely, an approach that didn't work at one day, might go the next.

A individual-centered approach

Dr Lee-Fay Low is a registered psychologist with an expertise in dementedness and older tending.

Low said it's important to take a "person-centred approach" to showering by ensuring you put the needs and preferences of the person first.

"Having a wagerer relationship with the person will increase your chances of success," she suggested.

Miserable said it was important to assess some "environmental" reasons the mortal is reluctant to shower bath.

Situation problems might include:

• The room is too unheated.
• The water is too fervent or heatless.
• The person doesn't feel safe showering past themself, but they don't know how to ask for help.
• The soul doesn't the like the rain shower chair.
• They don't want to get their hair wet.
• Perhaps the somebody ISN't comfortable with the grammatical gender of the person helping them.

"You need to fix those state of affairs issues, for example, with a heater, shower pileus or hand-held shower head," Low suggested.

Understanding what mightiness motivate the person to shower can also avail.

Motivations to cascade might include:

• Having individual come to gossip.
• American Samoa a party favor to the care worker.
• So they tooshie put on nice clothes and do their makeup.
• If they have an outing planned.
• Simply that it's good for their health.

"It tail take individual tries and that is OK," Low-down same reassuringly.

"Information technology's also OK that the soul doesn't shower daily, as bimestrial as they do have enough showers for hygienics reasons."

"Feeling much to a greater extent confident"

"Thank you everyone!" Amanda wrote to the support group. "You've whol given me really great ideas and insights. Feeling practically more than reassured now."

Amanda told HelloCare she learnt much from the support group.

"American Samoa a keep going worker in the community who is fairly new to the industry, I have limited direct reach with my coworkers. The support group has been such a great reservoir of learning for me."

Unfortunately, the node Amanda was originally request about had to be hospitalised, just she was able to use the advice for another client with stark alcohol dependence.

"He refused to shower, but he is a great lover of music from the 1960s. This week I finally positive him to hop in the cascade with the promise I could caper him whatsoever Song he wanted," Amanda explained.

"Thank goodness for Spotify Premium, is each I can say!"

*Mention has been changed.

https://hellocare.com.au/caring-for-people-living-with-dementia-how-to-overcome-objections-to-showering/

Source: https://hellocare.com.au/caring-for-people-living-with-dementia-how-to-overcome-objections-to-showering/

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