As your senior's caregiver, you might be surprised to realize that she's suddenly bathing less often. But why is it such an issue for her?
She Might Be in Pain
Bending, stooping, stretching, and all of the other movements involved in bathing can be very painful for your elderly family member. If that's the case, then your aging adult might definitely want to avoid that activity for a while. Talk with your elderly family member's doctor about how you can help her to manage her pain in order to bathe more frequently.
Mobility Can Be a Problem
Even if your elderly family member isn't in pain when she's trying to bathe, she might have some mobility issues that make it more difficult. If her balance isn't so great or it's difficult to step into the tub, then she's going to find it more complicated to get the job done. Tools made for shower mobility, such as shower chairs and long-handled shower heads, can help quite a bit.
Water Can Be Scary
Water itself can be a little frightening for your aging adult. It can be slippery to stand in and your senior may have trouble regulating the temperature of the water if she's got mobility issues. Beyond those issues, if your senior has memory issues or cognitive difficulties, she might forget why she's in the shower and find the water to be way too much to deal with at that moment.
Falls Are Even More Frightening
The risk of falling is very real and very terrifying for older adults. One small fall can create a deluge of other health issues for your elderly family member and create problems for years to come. Grab bars and other safety features can help quite a bit, but that doesn't fully remove the fear of falling.
It's Exhausting to Bathe
Depending on your elderly family member's health conditions, she may not have a lot of energy to spare. You don't realize it most of the time, but taking a shower can require quite a bit of energy that your senior may not really have. Because of that, she might find it easier to simply avoid bathing as often.
Once you understand why your elderly family member isn't so keen on bathing any longer you can start finding solutions. Hiring senior care providers can be a great solution because they have experience helping aging adults with personal care tasks like this. They can show both you and your senior ways that you can work around some of these issues.
If you are considering hiring senior care in Morgan, UT for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Seniors Helping Seniors of Ogden, UT. Call today 801-821-4535.