My husband got a call from the small assisted living home my mother-in -law was living in. They were having a problem with Pat. She was refusing to take a bath. Screaming and hollering and just flat out refusing. I know that this is something that commonly occurs in dementia patients and I also know that there is often a reason for it.
This was definitely out of character for Pat. A refined lady who always prided herself in her appearance, she had never had outbursts before. Something was going on.
So her son, my husband talked to her about the importance of taking a bath. She seemed to understand and agree to take the bath but the following morning the staff experienced the same thing.I tried talking to her to see if I could discover what was wrong and why she would not take a bath. I got nowhere.
So I sat down with the house manager to see if we could figure this out. I asked Angie to describe the scene in great detail to me from the moment that they approached Pat to take a bath. Angie told me that they always made sure the bathroom was nice and warm before attempting to bring Pat in. Once inside they would explain to her that they needed to remove her clothes and help her into the shower to bathe. Sounds good so far.
She would start screaming Angie said, " No! You are going to get my hair wet! I spent a lot of money getting my hair fixed and you are going to ruin it!"
Ah ha! There was the problem. Every week we would take Pat to the salon to get her hair done. I was wondering why her hairdo wasn't lasting! Little did I know they were washing her hair and then letting it air dry. I would be screaming too!!
Why aren't you using her shower cap when you bath her so her hair doesn't get wet I asked? She has one in her toiletry box.
We always wash the other resident's hair, she told me. I didn't think it would be a problem.
Well for this elegant lady it was a big problem. I am happy to report that now that the staff is putting the shower cap on Pat's head, bath time is no longer an issue.
Take a moment to figure out what is happening to make your loved one refuse to take a shower. You may be surprised to discover what is happening.
Find Assisted Living In Houston
Author- Kathryn Watson
Like many today Kathryn Watson was thrust into the world of Elder care with little knowledge or understanding of the industry. The challenges she overcame led her write Help! My Parents Are Aging and Help! I Can't Do This Alone and to create a web directory for Houston families. Find Houston Senior Care offers both resources and information to help you navigate the elder care world.
This was definitely out of character for Pat. A refined lady who always prided herself in her appearance, she had never had outbursts before. Something was going on.
So her son, my husband talked to her about the importance of taking a bath. She seemed to understand and agree to take the bath but the following morning the staff experienced the same thing.I tried talking to her to see if I could discover what was wrong and why she would not take a bath. I got nowhere.
So I sat down with the house manager to see if we could figure this out. I asked Angie to describe the scene in great detail to me from the moment that they approached Pat to take a bath. Angie told me that they always made sure the bathroom was nice and warm before attempting to bring Pat in. Once inside they would explain to her that they needed to remove her clothes and help her into the shower to bathe. Sounds good so far.
She would start screaming Angie said, " No! You are going to get my hair wet! I spent a lot of money getting my hair fixed and you are going to ruin it!"
Ah ha! There was the problem. Every week we would take Pat to the salon to get her hair done. I was wondering why her hairdo wasn't lasting! Little did I know they were washing her hair and then letting it air dry. I would be screaming too!!
Why aren't you using her shower cap when you bath her so her hair doesn't get wet I asked? She has one in her toiletry box.
We always wash the other resident's hair, she told me. I didn't think it would be a problem.
Well for this elegant lady it was a big problem. I am happy to report that now that the staff is putting the shower cap on Pat's head, bath time is no longer an issue.
Take a moment to figure out what is happening to make your loved one refuse to take a shower. You may be surprised to discover what is happening.
Find Assisted Living In Houston
Author- Kathryn Watson
Like many today Kathryn Watson was thrust into the world of Elder care with little knowledge or understanding of the industry. The challenges she overcame led her write Help! My Parents Are Aging and Help! I Can't Do This Alone and to create a web directory for Houston families. Find Houston Senior Care offers both resources and information to help you navigate the elder care world.
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