You and your senior may be going rounds about bathing, but what are the underlying causes? If you’re not sure, then it might be time to delve into what could be keeping your senior from taking the baths or showers that she needs to be taking.
How She’s Feeling Emotionally Matters
Your senior’s emotional well-being always affects the rest of her health. It’s especially true with decisions related to bathing. If your elderly family member is depressed or her self-esteem is taking a beating because she’s not able to do certain things, that can make her avoid bathing. She may also be embarrassed that bathing is more difficult now. Working through those feelings can go a long way toward helping her to look for solutions that make bathing easier.
She May Be in Pain
Physical pain changes a lot of aspects of your senior’s life, particularly if that pain is chronic. Depending on the type and severity of the pain your senior is experiencing, she may find that the tub or shower stall are difficult to even get into. The shower may not feel like a safe space to her, either. She may need safety adjustments, like handrails or a shower chair that allows her to sit safely as she bathes.
Lots of Seniors See Bathing as Something They Can Control
When your elderly family member’s life is changing in a multitude of ways, she may feel as if everything is out of her hands. She may feel as if deciding when or if she takes a shower is literally the one situation that she has any say about. This can lead to battles for control, especially if you’re trying to convince her to bathe when she’s not ready to do so. You can keep trying to have that battle with her, or you can find ways to increase the control she has in her life.
She’s Experiencing Changes to Her Brain
Cognitive changes, whether they’re due to dementia or due to other reasons, create changes elsewhere for your senior. She may not remember that she hasn’t bathed in a few days for instance. Or her sense of smell may have changed to the extent that she doesn’t realize that it’s definitely time for a shower. There are other ways you can help her to keep track of when a shower or bath is a good idea.
Many of these situations are difficult to help your senior to manage on your own. It helps to have some assistance from senior care providers, especially if your elderly family member needs hands-on help with bathing.
If you or an aging loved one needs Senior Care in Folsom, CA, remember Senior Home Care Services. Call us at (916) 514-7006 for more information.
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