Naturally, you will find it difficult to perform everyday tasks as you age. Most older adults or seniors find it more challenging to observe healthy personal grooming and hygiene. That happens because seniors tend to have lower energy levels, are more forgetful, and lack mobility. Moreover, seniors may have various health issues, such as depression, and may use medications, making them not remember or lose interest in Philadelphia personal grooming. Without observing healthy personal grooming and hygiene, your elderly loved one becomes more at risk of poor physical health. Also, seniors who do not take good care of themselves may not feel good about their appearance.
It is often not easy to notice when your elderly loved one starts abandoning healthy personal grooming. However, by the time you identify the behavior, you should immediately help your family member to return to observing good grooming and health. You should raise the issue with your loved one or family member in a manner that suggests you are honest, respectful, loving, and compassionate. Consequently, below are a few tips you may find helpful so that the elderly family member at home maintains routine personal grooming and hygiene.
1. Establish a personal grooming routine
You should help establish a regular grooming routine and hygiene that is hard to neglect or not remember.
A routine may involve setting a specific time for bathing or showering and availing preferred supplies, including soap, shampoo, and towels.
Use of a towel to properly dry the skin of your elderly family member after a bath is essential to avoid infections or soreness.
2. Implement measures for safety
Most falls and slips occur in the bathroom, and seniors are usually the most affected. For instance, the bathroom may promote falling because the floors are slippery.
The best safety measures to implement in the bathroom may involve installing handrails, ensuring a suitable toilet seat level, and providing anti-slip mats. Handrails or grab bars make walking in and out of the washroom easier and safer without risking a slip or a fall.
Also, you can offer a walk-in tub and a bench. A bench is excellent for a senior that finds it difficult to stand for an extended period.
3. Provide grooming and hygiene aids
There are different aids to help seniors become more independent with personal grooming and hygiene.
Assistive aids you can purchase for your elderly loved one may include chairs for showering, razors, no-rinse bathing wipes, washing trays, and adapted toenails and fingernail clippers.
4. Observe proper oral health
If your elderly parent or family member has natural teeth, ensure that brushing and flossing happen twice daily to prevent oral diseases. And if the senior citizen has dentures, clean them regularly to avoid the accumulation of harmful bacteria in the mouth.
5. Hire a home care agency
Taking care of the personal grooming and hygiene of your elderly loved one may come with stress and exhaustion, which you can avoid if you hire a home care agency. Also, your elderly parent or grandparent may be more comfortable dealing with a person that is not a family member to help with personal grooming.
Contact Blessings4Ever Home Care Agency today to schedule an appointment for personal grooming services for the elderly.