Bathing can become one of those topics that your aging family member gradually starts to avoid talking about and doing. There are a variety of reasons for this, but you need to start making a plan to resolve the situation for her.Make Sure the Bathroom Is Safe and Accessible
The very first thing that you can do when your senior is resisting bathing is to do a safety check in the bathroom. If the tub is even remotely unsafe or inaccessible, your senior doesn't need to go in there just yet anyway. Install grab bars, get a shower stool, and make safety the number one priority in the bathroom.
Talk about It with Your Aging Adult
Open up to your elderly family member about what is going on. Ask her what is keeping her from bathing regularly and determine if there's anything else that you've missed. Let her know that your main concern is that she feels safe and secure in the bathroom.
Stop Talking about It
On the other hand, if your elderly family member doesn't want to talk about this issue, you might make it worse if you pressure her too much. Learn when to back off the topic and to return to it when she's feeling more receptive. You don't want to become a nag, you just want to communicate.
Get Ideas from Her Doctor
Talk with your aging family member's doctor about what else you might be able to do to correct this situation. There may be some insights that her doctor can offer that can help you turn the situation around. Her doctor could shed light on situations you hadn't thought about in the context of bathing.
Line up Extra Help
It might be too embarrassing by far for your elderly family member to talk about bathing with you. That doesn't mean that she might not welcome help, however. Try hiring home care providers to help with bathing and dressing to see if that helps to solve some of the problems that your elderly family member is having when she tries to bathe on her own.
You'll need to be patient in order to set up a bathing routine that works well for both your aging adult and for yourself. If you find that you're getting frustrated, you may need to step back and take a breath before trying to tackle the situation again.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING HIRING IN-HOME CARE IN RIVER NORTH, IL, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT BRIGHTSTAR CARE CHICAGO. CALL TODAY: 312.382.8888.