How Elder Care Can Make Sensitive Bathing Tasks Less Stressful

Posted: 8/18/2017 8:37 AM by Interim HealthCare

As a family caregiver you already know that this role is about helping your elderly parent manage their specific needs, challenges, and limitations in a way that is respectful, supportive, and nurturing. Some of these task, however, are much more challenging than others. These are not only difficult for your elderly loved one, but they might be for you as well. When this happens, it can put a strain not only on your caregiver efforts but on your parent-child relationship with your aging parent. This can cause serious stress that has consequences for both of you. By identifying these challenging tasks and taking steps to make them easier you can protect your relationship with your parent and help ensure that they have the highest quality of life as they age in place.

One of the tasks that is often considered stressful for family caregivers and elderly adults alike is bathing. This sensitive task can be embarrassing for both your parent and for you, and make both of you uncomfortable. You know that it is a task that needs to be handled effectively and regularly, however, in order to keep your aging parent healthy, safe, and comfortable. This is where elder care can make a tremendous difference.

Some of the ways that having an elderly home care services provider can make bathing less stressful include:

• Professional, efficient services. An elder care provider has experience and skill providing services such as assisting with bathing. This means that whether your loved one needs extensive assistance with the entire process of bathing or just support for some elements of it, the care provider will be able to handle it as effectively and efficiently as possible.

• Emotional distance. Part of the difficulty that comes along with you helping your parent handle the sensitive tasks of bathing is the emotional closeness that you have with them. You have a bond with your parent and each of you have a perception of what this relationship means. The task of helping them bathe can go against this perception, putting you both in a position that you are not accustomed to or comfortable with. The personalized services of an elderly home care services provider can eliminate this emotional strain, making both of you more comfortable and more at ease.

• Modified tasks. Maintaining as much independence as possible is an important part of keeping your parent’s mental and emotional health high. A care provider can evaluate the specific challenges that your aging parent faces that require that they receive help with bathing and then modify the process to address these challenges. This means that they can help your parent handle more of this important task on their own so that they can maintain a sense of control and autonomy in their life while also staying safe and healthy. This can include helping them to remember when to bathe, preparing supplies for them, distributing body products, or allowing them to wash most of their body and then coming behind them and finishing the task effectively.