Caring for elderly parents comes with an array of challenges, from monitoring their medicine to helping them bathe. Many seniors struggle with personal hygiene, which can lead to serious health concerns in the future. Whether your parents refuse to bathe or they simply do not feel the need to clean themselves, there are some things you can do to assist them. Here is a guide showing how to help your elderly parents maintain their personal hygiene.
Get To The Root Of The Problem
Before you can encourage your elderly parent to get clean and stay clean, you need to understand why there has been a decline in his or her personal hygiene. Some common reasons include:
- Struggling With Independence And Self-Reliance (Not Wanting To Be Under Someone Else’s Control)
- Weaker Senses Of Smell And Sight (Your Parent Doesn’t Realize He Or She Is Unclean)
- Fear Of Falling In The Tub Or Shower Due To Limited Mobility
- Short Term Memory Loss (Your Parent Doesn’t Remember When He Or She Last Bathed)
- Depression And Lethargy (Your Parent Just Doesn’t Feel Like Cleaning Up)
Once you understand why your parent is no longer keeping up with his or her personal hygiene, you can assess ways to encourage him or her to get clean again.
Give Your Parents A Reason To Stay Clean
One of the easiest ways to encourage your parents to bathe and clean themselves is to give them a reason to stay clean. Frequent visits from family members or fun outings will make your elderly parents feel excited about keeping up their appearances. The more they stay by themselves at home, the less they will feel the need to maintain good personal hygiene. Find ways to get them active, and you should see a substantial turnaround in their cleanliness.
Seek Medical Help For Depression Or Other Health Concerns
If your elderly parents are reluctant to clean themselves because of depression or other medical issues, work with your primary care physician to address those concerns. Staying interactive with your parents as suggested above will also keep help to keep your parents in good spirits. In some cases, you may need to seek counseling for your parents to help them through this transitional period in their lives.
