When your aging loved one is already receiving long-term care assistance, one of the important elements you have to pay attention to is their hygiene. Being your trusted home health agency in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, let us share with you the essential elements of hygiene care for our beloved elderly:
- Assistance on Personal Care
When your elderly loved one is getting long-term care assistance, assisting them with bathing time can be like a routine for you. It helps to know how your loved one prefers to be assisted in bathing, but some of the things you can do is to make this activity relaxing for them. Use the bath products they ask for. Play relaxing music while bathing, or give them a shower when they request for it. - Hygiene Care Should be Daily
A person’s hygiene, especially for an aging loved one, is their first line of defense against infection. In these aging years, you can’t risk whatever form of infection as their immune system is already at their lowest. Hence, ensure that your aging loved one’s hygiene needs are attended to every day. - Familiarity of Caregiver
Being a family caregiver will also require you to rest sometime. On these occasions, the assistance of professionals providing health care in Massachusetts can greatly help ease this task. But it will help your aging loved one to relax in another person’s presence when they’ve been familiar with them. When you’re getting outside help, allow them some time to warm up with your loved one. - Respect and Dignity
Your aging loved one might also feel a bit protective about their privacy when somebody’s assisting them. To ensure you’re not overstepping their boundaries, always ask them if they need your assistance. Give them as much level of independence as is safe for them. - Remember their Safety
Our elderly family members can be prone to home accidents such as falls. We need to be mindful about their safety when we’re assisting them in their hygiene needs, especially as they take a bath. Aside from checking if the floor is slippery, we also have to ensure that the water has the right temperature. Installing grab bars inside the bathrooms can also ensure their safety. - Help Maintain Their Toileting Needs
Part of the hygiene challenges of aging includes incontinence issues. This has to be properly tended to since this can result in skin infections when not cared for properly. Aside from consulting with their doctor for any medical interventions for these issues, you can also let them be assisted by in-home care providers. - Care for Alzheimer’s Patients
When your senior loved one develops Alzheimer’s, their hygiene care can be impeded by aggression or confusion. When Alzheimer’s keeps you from tending to your loved one’s hygiene needs, feel free to ask assistance from their doctor or get extra hands from professional care providers.
When you need further in-home care support, our team at NonaCare, LLC is ready to be of assistance.
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