Our last article discussed some techniques and ideas to make it easier to bathe your loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease. In this article, we will provide you with more useful tips.
Cindy Keith, RN, BS, CDP is an expert in teaching family caregivers how to work with patients. She recommends that after you have prepared the bathroom, before you start the bath, you should ensure that a towel, night clothes and robe are within easy reach of the tub. She also says that putting hot water in the sink and placing a bottle of skin lotion in it will warm the cream and with be a luxurious and calming treat after the bath is over. Rubbing your loved one’s body with a warm lotion after the bath helps to avoid skin problems that often crop up with Alzheimer’s patients, and it also brings the bathing experience to a comforting and positive conclusion.
Aqua Wash Gloves allow you to wash the patient easily without a wash clothe.
More Bathing Techniques for the Dementia Patient
Keith stresses that many patients fear the water because it is foreign from what they are used to (many patients of course cannot really remember what water is or having ever been in it). So, you need to be more flexible with the bathing process. This is particularly the case if the loved one experiences ‘sundowning,’ which is a period of agitation and upset that occurs in some Alzheimer’s patients at the end of the day. If that is the case, it is a good idea to do the bath in the morning and not the evening.
Some patients seem to be more at ease in a shallow bath that has bubbles in it. This gives them a distraction and it also can help to disguise the water itself. Other patients may prefer having a bath with a handheld shower. You will need to work with your loved one to see which type of bath he prefers.
Also:
- Encourage the patient to go to the bathroom before he gets into the bathtub. This is going to lead to a more sanitary bathing experience, and it also allows you to get his lower clothes off.
- Some patients are more comfortable if they are sitting in the tub on a washcloth or small towel.
- The patient may want to cover their legs or chest with a towel during the bath. Do not fight this. If that is what he needs to preserve his dignity, it’s worth it.
- Have several wash clothes available. As the patient is washing his chest, you can be working on the legs.
Bathing Products for the Alzheimer Patient
By following the guidelines above, the bathing experience with the patient should be much easier. A good product to help make the process easier is the EZ Bathe Inflatable Adult Bathtub. This product can be used if access to a regular bathtub is limited. It also can be used to give your loved one a bath in bed. Aqua Wash Gloves are helpful to use in place of a wash cloth for bathing the patient.