Why Is Bath Time so Hard for People with Dementia?

There are few activities that elicit such strong resistance from someone with Alzheimer's disease as taking a bath or shower. While some people experience difficulties when helping their loved one get dressed in the morning or take their medications accurately, assisting with a bath or a shower is often at the top of the list of caregiver challenges. So why the problem? If you think about this from the perspective of someone with memory loss and confusion, and consider all that bathing entails- getting undressed and then stepping into water or getting sprayed with water-it's no wonder there's resistance at times. Then throw into this scenario the presence of someone you're not familiar with and what may feel like a strange bathroom, along with the possibility of pain and anxiety, and it's surprising that anyone would be agreeable to a shower or bath. What to Do to Make Things Easier Have Compassion If you're too burned out to show empathy for your patient or a loved one, you're too burned out to be providing that care. Give yourself a timeout and take a deep breath. Remember to put yourself in her place and show her the love and understanding you hope your loved one would show you. Be Realistic No matter how hard you try, you might not be able to make shower time feel like an experience at the spa. But you can continue to try. Setting realistic goals, such as providing a reasonably thorough bath or shower once a week and a quick washing up on the other days, is im...
Source: About Alzheimers Disease - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news