Arguing with your senior about bathing can take up a surprising amount of time and energy for both of you. There are other options, and it might be time to start exploring them.

In-Home Care Merced CA – What Can You Do if Your Senior Refuses to Bathe?

Avoid Arguing with Your Senior about Bathing

If talking about bathing tends to end in an argument, then you and your senior need a different way to talk about this. Make sure you’re in a calm frame of mind yourself when you need to talk to her about a bath or shower. If you’re not able to do that, you may need to try another option entirely. The thing is, if every time you talk about this topic it ends in a fight, then of course she’s not going to want to talk about it.

Rule out Safety Concerns and Discomfort

One of the things your senior might not have felt comfortable sharing with you, or maybe wasn’t able to share at all, is that her issues with bathing stem from feeling unsafe or from feeling uncomfortable in the shower. This is actually a really common issue for older adults and there’s a lot that you can do to resolve the problem once you know it exists. Add grab bars to the shower itself and check the water pressure. Pressure that’s too much can be painful for your senior or it can scare her.

Compromise on a Schedule

When your senior has a bathing schedule that you and she have worked out together you’ve got something that you can both point to that helps to keep you on target. After you and your elderly family member agree on a schedule, make sure that you put together a visible way to keep track. Using a calendar helps you both to be able to see at a glance where you are in the schedule.

Step Back from the Fray

There may come a point where you and your senior have to just agree that you helping her to bathe is part of the problem. That’s not something that is likely easy for either of you to admit to the other, but it can very definitely be true. Bringing in in-home care providers to take over the task of helping your senior to bathe could be the perfect solution. What you’re looking for is to make sure your senior’s needs are met in the best and safest way possible.

Arguing about bathing is not how you want to spend time with your senior.

If you or an aging loved one are considering In-Home Care Services in Merced CA, please contact the caring staff at Everlight Home Care today. Call us at 559-353-2847.

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Gina Kendall

Gina Kendall has over 25 years of work experience serving the aging and the disabled. Her extensive experience in care and management began as a Social Services Coordinator in skilled nursing facilities. While working in this capacity, she became aware of the need for, and the importance of, good, quality, home care. Gina worked with families to keep their loved ones home and avoid a return visit to the hospital. As she continued her career of service, she began working with the disabled population helping to expand and improve their independence throughout all aspects of life.

This combination of experiences has afforded Gina a unique view of the needs of the aging and the disabled and how to best serve those needs in a home setting.

Gina’s Central Valley roots run deep. She earned her BA degree from Fresno State in 1993 and has lived and worked in Fresno for the past 20 years. In addition to raising her family in Fresno, she is actively involved in her local church and is a volunteer for various local community organizations.

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