Healthy Hygiene Tips for Seniors
Seniors often neglect their personal hygiene as they age. For a number of reasons, they often put hygiene on the back burner. Sometimes, our seniors are depressed and don’t see a need to get dressed or clean up if they aren’t going anywhere or seeing anyone. Other times, they are afraid. For example, they might not want to shower for fear of slipping in the shower or trouble getting in or out. If they’ve had a recent fall, that can exacerbate the problem, and make them more leery of bathing. Other times, our seniors don’t even realize they are letting their hygiene slip. With diminished senses, they might not realize their breath is bad, or their clothes are starting to smell. Good personal hygiene might just be more difficult for them because it is harder to move, harder to reach places they need to wash and hard to muster up the energy to do it.
However, poor personal hygiene can lead to further problems for our senior loved ones, including their overall health, emotional health and confidence level. Here are some tips for helping our seniors maintain good personal hygiene.
Set a Daily Routine
Having a daily routine is important for seniors. Loved ones can help them write one down or even just help them follow it each day and stick to it. The routine should include cleaning the body, getting dressed, brushing teeth and brushing hair. To help them in this routine, you can lay out everything they will need for the day - even putting toothpaste on their toothbrush ahead of time if needed. Everything should be within reach, and seeing it can serve as a reminder for them to do the tasks. Even laying out a week’s worth of clean clothes so they can just put on what is in front of them each day can help.
Ensure their Safety
One of the biggest roadblocks to good hygiene is a fear of falling among seniors. To help ensure their safety, it is important to remove any bath mats or area rugs in the bathroom that might slip out from under them. If they are wobbly or fear falling while bathing, they should have a grab bar outside and in the shower. There can be a grab bar near the toilet to help them get up and down.
Look through their home and ensure their sink is secure. After many years, sinks, especially pedestal sinks, can become wobbly and aren’t safe for seniors to hold on to while they are brushing their teeth or combing their care.
If stairs are difficult for them, you can have hygiene items on the first floor for them, including a brush, a toothbrush and wipes, which will allow them to clean up in the bathroom during the day. It also can help if they realize they forgot to do one of their personal hygiene tasks. Then, they don’t need to head all the way upstairs to complete it.
Get Help
Most home caregivers, including those with Visiting Angels Horsham, can help seniors with their personal care. Even if seniors feel they can take care of themselves for the rest of the day, a home caregiver can help them each morning safely bathe, dress, brush their teeth and go up and down the stairs. Caregivers can help with exactly what seniors need assistance with.
Find Helpful Products
There are so many things available in stores and online nowadays that can help make a senior’s hygiene routine easier. For example, something as simple as wet washcloths can help maintain cleanliness after using the bathroom. Seniors can use an electric toothbrush to clean their teeth thoroughly. There are brushes on the market now that have longer handles, so it is easier for seniors to reach the back of their heads. There are also razors and toenail clippers with longer handles, making them easier to use for seniors who have trouble bending. There are so many products on the market. See what your senior might have difficult with and search for something that might help them get the job done easier, which will make it more likely for them to maintain their hygiene.
Visiting Angels Can Help
Visiting Angels Horsham can help seniors maintain good hygiene. Our personal care services can help with everything from bathing to dressing each morning. Our professional caregivers are compassionate and knowledgeable and offer many services to help your senior loved ones live their best lives. In addition to personal care, Visiting Angels caregivers provide companion care, safe and steady fall prevention and specialty services such as caring for clients with dementia or who are just coming from a hospital stay.
We serve seniors in the Horsham area, including in Willow Grove, Ambler, Lower Gwynedd, Spring House and the surrounding areas. To find out more about how we can help the seniors in your lives, contact us online or by calling us at (215) 770-0861.
If you are ready to help care for seniors in the area, we are always on the lookout for compassionate caregivers. Contact us for information and to get started.