Bathing
Comfort | Consistency | Frequency | Safety | Privacy

Consistency.

Especially if your mom has Alzheimer's, develop a routine and make the bath or shower as close as possible to what she has always liked to do. For example:

• Does she like to relax in hot water and read?
• Does taking a shower before bed help her sleep without medicines?
• Tell her what you are going to do, step by step, and allow her to do as much as possible.

Prepare in advance:

• Make sure you have everything you need ready and in the bathroom before beginning.
• Draw the bath ahead of time.

Links to other sites with information on this topic:

Home Care -- Personal Care, from The National Institute on Aging has some tips on bathing and dressing to help you provide care at home for someone with Alzheimer's Disease.

Skill Builder: Bathing and Grooming. This ElderCare Skill Builder™ is intended to give the eldercaregiver background information on special skills that caregivers may need on a daily basis. While these guides are primarily intended for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s Disease, they can be used for any frail or dependent elderly person. When caring for an elderly loved one, always treat them as an adult, with dignity and respect.