Personal Hygiene

The person with dementia may forget to attend to personal hygiene, including bathing/showering. It is important to have some routines that they can follow every day. 

If they don’t normally bath/shower every day, then implement bath days. They can be written on the calendar, for example, so it is visible and is seen every day. Continue bathing at a time when they are used to bathing - not everyone bathes in the morning, for example. It is good to turn the bath/shower into a fun, relaxing time. Think about the following, for example:

• Have the bathroom at a comfortable temperature.
• Have everything ready.
• Spoil them with clean soft towels, good soaps and creams.
• Pay attention to the temperature of the water, they may have an altered sensitivity to temperatures.
• Adjust the shower head and use other aids as appropriate.
• Take time for coffee, tea or something similar afterwards.
• Remember, it takes longer than normal.

For some families, particularly people who live as a couple, it will be natural to help with personal hygiene. Others find it too intimate, and would rather have outside help. It is important to respect your own and the person with dementia's wishes for this as it may affect the balance in the relationship if one partner needs too much care from the other.

Gradually as the disease progresses, the demented person will develop problems with several aspects of personal hygiene such as remembering to make an appointment with the dentist or hairdresser, clip their nails, shave, or brush their teeth. Later they may have problems interpreting the need to urinate. If at that point in time you do not have contact with homecare, then they are the ones who can help you with continence pads and other aids. Call Carelink for more information.