Hygiene Needs for the Elderly

If you have an aging parent or loved one, you want them to live their best life as they get older. Personal hygiene care for the elderly can be an awkward topic of conversation when you’re having the talk with your beloved parent.

The elderly lack of personal hygiene can lead to sickness and poor self-esteem. It could be a sign of dementia, depression, or an inability to manage the activities of daily living independently.

It’s important to pay attention to the hygiene status of the elderly loved one in your life. Has Mom had the same clothing on for a week? Is Dad afraid of falling in the tub? If so, has he stopped bathing regularly? Maybe your loved one needs a hair appointment, or a trip to the nail salon for a professional pedicure.

What can you do to help?

• Do a quick assessment of the house.
• Are there safety bars in the shower or tub area? If not, they should be installed.
• Are there unnecessary rugs on the floor? A rubber-backed mat is the only rug that should be in the bathroom.
• Is there a supply of personal hygiene products such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, hairbrushes, toilet paper and any other personal care products that you loved one enjoys using?
• A trip to the store to stock up can be helpful and appreciated. If your loved one can choose the supplies, that’s even better!

If you determine your elderly relative cannot manage to maintain basic hygiene tasks, it may be time to look for a service that handles hygiene needs for the elderly.

Think about how great it feels to take a shower, wash your hair, brush your teeth, put on your favorite clothes to get ready to face the day.

The hygiene needs of the elderly are the same as they were when they were younger. They still need to feel good about how they look and how they present themselves to others.

Getting older can be a time of unexpected challenges. Doing what you can to help your elderly loved ones maintain their hygiene and self-esteem will help them feel great about themselves as they age.