She has been diagnosis with Corticobasal Degeneration. And the rare disease is progressing. My mom had a recent fall and is now afraid to take shower standing in the tub. She states that she has a hard time standing for any length of time and is unable to lift her legs into the bath tub. They have a small tub so a shower chair does not fit. She resides with my dad in a rented townhouse.
In case our experiences might be of use to others, I want to share personal hygiene methods used to care for my 95-year-old mother who has dementia.
In between showers, I rub down her body with Simple brand exfoliating wipes, followed by an all-over lube job with a nice oil such as argan. I especially like L'Oreal "Age Perfect Glow Renewal" because it's absorbed well and has a light scent. Then on Mom's calves and other especially dry spots, I massage in O'Keeffe's Working Hands cream.
No matter what method is used, she complains that she's cold. She also complains that I rub too hard with the exfoliating wipes, but I explain that we have to get the dead skin off so she won't get itchy and that usually satisfies her. Then she complains that the wipes are wet, that she's wet in the shower, that something dry should be used instead. This often escalates to whining and even wailing at which point I gently sing a hymn and that comforts both of us.
Mom stopped showering long ago. In fact, personal hygiene pretty much is a thing of the past for her, a formerly fastidious homemaker. So there are lots of other personal tasks involved on a daily basis, a key one being to clean her hands with sanitizing wipes after she's been to the toilet (on those occasions when she actually uses the facilities) and before meals. She also needs adult pull-on diapers and recently I found (thanks to a nurse telling me about it) a baby wipe warmer which makes my doing that task more pleasant for her.
Mom used to go to her hairdresser once a week for a wash and set. But we had to cancel appointments so often for one reason or another that I had them take her standing date off the books. Now we just go for cuts and perms as needed. For a while, she bent over the bathroom sink so I could wash her hair, but that's become too uncomfortable. Now I do the hair when I shower her and she hates it but it seems the only alternative remaining. In between full washes (which her hairdresser insists should be at least once a week) I use a dry spray shampoo (the Batiste brand suggested by "ferris1") and of course complaints are associated with this practice too.
Perhaps you can see a trend here, about the complaining. Mom has had a habit of negativity as long as I’ve known her. Medications have helped but of course don’t change her basic crabby nature. So it’s not advisable to wait until the impatient patient feels like getting cleaned up and/or gives permission.
Blessings to those who face this challenge. It isn’t easy but is satisfying when Mom is clean and smells good, for as long as that lasts. Good luck and keep singing.
There is no-rinse body cleanser which can be applied to a wipe and used during sponge baths and it can also be used as shampoo. If the hair is very thin and so many elderly women's hair is you can use the no-rinse wash on a washcloth and wipe the hair down with it. Make sure you get the perineal area thoroughly.
A shower bench or chair doesn't have to be completely in the tub. Half of it can be in the tub and the other half outside the tub. You'd need a detachable shower head but it can be done.
Lots of towels to keep mom warm while you're giving her a bath and finish off with lotions and nice, clean jammies.
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