Providing care for an elderly loved one has many aspects. As a caregiver, you might be providing care 24/7, or you might need to only visit them in their home once a week. However you care for your loved one, you might have times when the caring becomes a little awkward, and you’re not sure how to address something with your loved one.
Most caregivers are children or grandchildren of the person they are caring for, creating a dynamic that can sometimes be difficult to change. Companion care at home providers can help.
Personal Hygiene and Seniors
One area that many seniors begin to struggle with as they age is personal hygiene. While personal hygiene is often a concern for young children or growing teens, most people don’t give a thought as they age. It simply becomes part of their routine and is second nature.
But due to changes in your aging senior, you might begin to notice that your loved one’s hygiene has begun to decline and cannot be ignored. Personal hygiene not only keeps your elderly loved one looking good, but it’s an important part of her overall health.
Four Reasons Some Seniors Begin to Struggle With Hygiene
- Weakened Senses: Your loved one may simply not know that her feet are dirty or that the back of her hair isn’t combed out. For some seniors, poor eyesight makes it more difficult to see areas that need to be washed. A loss of smell might also affect your loved one’s inability to notice if she needs a shower or to freshen her breath.
- Mobility Issues: Arthritis can make it difficult to reach certain areas of the body to clean them, and a lack of flexibility may make it too hard for her to reach. If her feet become dirty after being outside in sandals, she might not be able to reach down and clean them.
- Cognitive Issues: If your loved one has dementia or any other cognitive decline, she might forget to take part in regular hygiene habits such as brushing her teeth or bathing.
- Depression: Some seniors begin to battle depression as they age, but refuse to seek help for their depression. Untreated depression can deplete someone of all of their energy and make it difficult for them to participate in tasks such as taking a shower or completing their dental care routine. Because depression also impacts self-esteem, self-neglect becomes more likely as they see less reason to take care of themselves.
Use Kindness and Gentleness When Talking about Personal Hygiene
It can be difficult to bring up with your senior, and once you do, finding a solution may be even more difficult if your senior is hesitant about having you help them with something so personal. Many seniors find relief by having someone else step in and assist in areas that they can no longer take care of themselves.
A professional who provides companion care at home might be just what your senior needs. Companion care at home services can help your senior with routine personal care needs such as bathing, hair care, dental care, and more. With companion care at home, your senior can feel great about herself again, and you’ll know she’s getting the help she needs from caring and trustworthy professionals.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Companion Care at Home in Elkins Park, PA, please contact the caring staff at Better Care Home Health Services today at (267) 766-5218
Better Care Home Health Services is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Philadelphia, Germantown, Glenside, Elkins Park, Bryn Mawr, Roxborough, Wyncote, Broomall, Upper Darby, Yeadon, Lansdowne, Narberth, Wynnewood, Penn Wynne, Fairmount, Ardmore, Chestnut Hill, and the surrounding areas.
Better Care Home Health Services is a family-owned agency dedicated to providing excellent and comprehensive home health care to individuals and families of Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties. We are honored that God has blessed us with the opportunity to positively impact and change people’s lives. It is our mission to ensure that we provide the very best of care to our clients.
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