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Why Might Your Parent Resist Bathing When Suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease?

Homecare Penn Hills PA-Understanding the reason behind this resistance can help to make this vital personal care task smoother and more accessible for both of you. Some of the reasons why your parent might resist bathing when suffering from Alzheimer's disease are listed here.

Bathing is a basic personal care task for everyone, but it often goes beyond just basic care. Taking a bath or a shower can be a peaceful, relaxing time. It is often an element of “me-time” that people use to relax, focus on themselves, release tension, and enjoy some time away from the challenges of the day.

Homecare Penn Hills PA – Why Might Your Parent Resist Bathing When Suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease?

For a senior who is facing Alzheimer’s disease, however, this may not be the case. If you are a family caregiver for one of the more than five million adults throughout the United States who are living with Alzheimer’s disease you may find that particularly during the middle stage of the progression they start to resist bathing.

You may notice that they do not appear clean, that their hair looks dirty, or that they have body odor. You may also experience times of them lashing out or getting angry when you try to get them to bathe. Understanding the reason behind this resistance can help to make this vital personal care task smoother and more accessible for both of you.

Some of the reasons why your parent might resist bathing when suffering from Alzheimer’s disease include:

  • Not understanding the importance of bathing or why they would need to bathe,
  • Thinking that they do not need to bathe because they have not done anything active during the day,
  • Thinking that they have already bathed or forgetting how long it has been since they have last bathed,
  • Not wanting to be undressed or feeling uncomfortable with the idea of being undressed in the same room with you,
  • Feeling fearful about the sound of the water or not being able to determine the depth of the water and being afraid.

 

Starting homecare for your elderly parent can be one of the best decisions that you make for them in the course of your caregiver journey with them. The highly personalized services of a homecare services provider are specifically tailored to address your parent’s individual challenges, needs, and limitations in the way that is right for them. These services are designed to help your parent stay healthy, safe, comfortable, and happy while also pursuing as much independence, activity, and fulfillment as possible as they age in place.

These services can include assistance with personal care needs, support fulfilling activities of daily living, safe and reliable transportation to where your parent needs and wants to go, and companionship to boost mental and emotional health. When it comes to care for a senior who is living with Alzheimer’s disease, this homecare provider can not only help your parent handle the symptoms and challenges that they are facing now, but also prepare them for those issues that they will face in the future as they progress through the disease.

Source:  www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-bathing.asp

If you or an aging loved one are considering Homecare Services in Penn Hills PA, please call and talk to the caring staff at Extended Family Care of Pittsburgh at (412) 693-6009. We will answer all of your questions.
Stephen Sternbach

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