Elderly bathing: A review of the basic method of bathing the elderly
If your older person is weak or has limited mobility, one of the duties of the caregiver or nurse you take is to bathe the older person at home.
Because bathing is part of health care, it is very important and in addition to cleanliness, it also affects the mental health of the elderly.
The skin of the elderly has become dry and thin due to aging, so it should be treated more gently when bathing the elderly so as not to stretch and irritate the skin.
In the following article, we will share with you the points that you need to follow to bathe the elderly.
Leave the bathing of the elderly to the master nurse
Because bathing an adult with a general or partial disability is very different from bathing a child, if you can afford to pay for a nurse, it is best to leave bathing for the elderly to a competent and experienced nurse.
High weight, mobility, etc. can make bathing difficult.
If your elderly person has a disability, be sure to check the nurse’s technical and strength abilities before being hired.
Coping with an elderly person who has a physical disability and perhaps the immorality caused by this disability requires a lot of patience, so make sure of this feature of your nurse and be careful not to physically or sexually harass your loved one away from your eyes. To pay.
Improving the environmental conditions of the bath for the elderly
Simplify access to the bathroom, it is better to have a bath in the elderly room so that you can take him to the bathroom more easily and do not worry about the cold of the bath or the elderly cold when coming out of the bath.
Try not to let the floor level of the bathroom be too high above the room to make it easier to carry the elderly to the bathroom.
Have a sturdy, secure chair for the elderly to sit on in the bathroom.
It is best to install a strong horizontal bar on the bathroom wall that the elderly can use to maintain balance and not fall.
Installing a hand shower in the bathroom helps the elderly to easily wash themselves while sitting on a chair.
Heat the environment thoroughly before taking the elderly person to the bathroom.
Be sure to adjust the water temperature before washing the elderly.
Basic needs of the elderly for bathing
The skin of the elderly is dry and dehydrated and has little fat, so bathing once or twice a week is enough for them.
The elderly usually do not tolerate long baths, so wash them quickly.
Do things like nail biting and shaving your hair and face at home and use the bath just to wash your body.
Recognize the elderly person’s sensitivities and talk to him about this. For example, the elderly body’s body is less tolerant of water heat, so first adjust the water temperature according to your diagnosis and pour it on the elderly person after his approval.
If you can not communicate, be sure to use lukewarm water to wash the elderly and test the water temperature with your elbow.
It is better to use a gentle body wash that is easier to rinse and does not cause excessive dryness of the elderly skin and itching of the skin after bathing.
Do not pull the cloth and bag on the skin of the elderly with force because it will cause the skin to rub and increase the itching of the skin.
Respect the privacy of the elderly. If your elderly person is upset by you seeing or washing their private parts, cover their private parts with a suitable cloth when bathing and allow them to wash themselves if they can.
When washing his private body, try not to touch his body without a towel, and preferably turn your eyes in another direction to reduce his embarrassment and discomfort.
Tips for after bathing the elderly
Before taking the elderly person to the bathroom, prepare towels, clean clothes and other necessary items so that you do not have to leave the elderly person alone in inappropriate conditions.
Bring towels, clothes and body lotion into the bathroom and use.
Do not pull the towel on the skin and gently place it on the skin and press a little to absorb moisture and remove.
After drying the elderly body, it is better to moisturize the body with a suitable lotion without perfume to prevent excessive dryness of the skin and as a result, itchy skin and skin inflammation.
The use of lotion in the bathroom is more effective because the skin moisture has not yet completely disappeared and the use of lotion prevents excessive evaporation of water from the skin surface.
If necessary, use a hair dryer to dry your hair, especially if you are in the cold season or in the hot season and you have turned on the air conditioner.
Do not place the elderly person in a place exposed to air conditioners or fans for up to 2 hours after bathing.
If you have a bathtub in your bathroom, you can add some nourishing oils and milk to the bathtub and let it rest in the hot tub for a while.
Bathing once or twice a week is acceptable for older adults, as the purpose is to prevent the skin from breaking down and lower the risk of skin infections. Seniors also tend to be less active than younger adults, so they can get away with fewer baths.
There can be a number of reasons that older people might ‘give up’ on their personal hygiene.