Introduction
It is important to provide the best care for your loved ones with dementia. One of the most important aspects of this is bathing them. We have put together these helpful tips on how to do just that.
People with dementia should be taken care of the same way as everyone else. With that said, in order to properly care for someone with dementia, you must know what they like and don’t like. Some people find it difficult to stay clean and have a bath when they have Alzheimer’s disease due to issues such as having a hard time bathing themselves, being able to stand on their own while wet, or not understanding how water will work when they are in the bathtub. These are only some of the challenges that people may face with dementia when taking a bath.
Tips On Bathing Dementia Patients
1. Take the time to wash your loved one’s hair. Bathing them gently in shampoo can help prevent their hair from becoming dry and brittle. Face washes should also be taken care of, but taking the time to truly get it all done can help them feel a little bit more like they are being cared for.
A bath is not only a way to feel clean, but it makes your loved one feel clean as well. A warm bath can be relaxing for them and help them relax as well. If possible, provide an extra towel for your loved one so that it does not get cold while they are in the tub or getting out of it.
2. Make sure that your loved one has good hygiene. They may need assistance while they are washing themselves and while they dry off. This is not a bad thing to let them know that it is okay to have someone help them with their wash clothes or towels. It can mean a lot to them and can help reduce their feelings of embarrassment just a little bit more.
3. Be sure that the tub is large enough for them to be in comfortably. If your loved one has dementia, it can be harder for them to hold onto the sides of the tub or get out of it on their own without assistance. Having a bathtub with low sides can make it easier for them and make you feel safer in the process as well.
4. If your loved one has dementia, they will likely be afraid of doctors and needles. Although you may feel the urge to get some blood work done on them or check their blood pressure, it is important to remember that this will scare them and make them feel as if they are in a doctor’s office instead of at home. Do not force the issue. If you need to, leave the room for a minute so that your loved one does not have to deal with being probed by a doctor.
5. Be sure that if you bathe your loved one, you do it often enough for them to remain clean. If they do not shower on a regular basis, then they will get extra dirty and can quickly become very smelly. There are many people who feel uncomfortable with the smell of the body odors that a person with dementia can produce. This can be avoided by simply taking them out of their clothes so that they do not stink too much before you bathe them.
6. If your loved one is severely incontinent, then they will probably will not be able to void completely in the bathtub. Consider using an adult diaper that they can wear while bathing. If you want to use a potty seat, then you can get a specially made one with a step in it that can be used by someone who is unable to stand on their own when wet.
7. The bath water may be cold for your loved one. Bathing them with warm water instead of cold water may cause them to feel as if they are being boiled alive from the inside out and make them very uncomfortable. The hot water will also help keep them from getting cold from having their skin touch the cool air.
8. It is important to know if your loved one will be able to have the bathtub running or if they will need to hold it. If they can hold it, they may not want their caregivers in there and you may not be able to get close enough to them if you are holding the bathtub for them. If the bathtub is not safe for someone who has dementia, then have a qualified plumbing professional run a new tub line so that your loved one can bathe safely on their own.
9. You may have to help your loved one out of their clothing if they cannot do it themselves. Some people will not be able to get their hands on the way up or in their own clothing, so you may need to help them. This is also good to let them know ahead of time because it might be awkward for them if you are trying to undress them and they cannot do it for themselves.
10. If your loved one does not have dementia, then they may be embarrassed by the fact that they took a bath at all and cannot remember why they are doing so. Letting your loved one know ahead of time when their bath is coming will decrease their embarrassment and make them feel more comfortable with the process in general.
Conclusion
The purpose of bathing is to clean the body off and remove any dirt, sweat, and germs that may be in the body. When Alzheimer’s disease begins to get bad enough, it can be hard for people with dementia to do this on their own.
People with dementia should not be handled roughly when they are bathing them, this will only upset them as well as making it harder for you to bathe your loved one. Bath time is a time for caring for your loved ones with dementia.