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Bath Care Concerns for Elderly Parents
One of the many thorny issues for elderly parents can be baths and bathtimes! This is particularly true for those who only have a bathtub in the house. But showers carry their own hurdles as well. Not to mention the skin issues that our beloved elderly parents may deal with. That’s where body wipes for elderly parents can really come in handy.
Bath Safety Issues for the Elderly
Bathtubs and elderly parents can easily become major issues. Lifting each leg up and over the side of the tub seems so easy when we’re younger. But what about the many 80 + year olds who may be dealing with arthritis, a variety of injuries common to older seniors, not to mention elderly dementia? It can really make it touch to take a bath! And if your home only has a bathtub and moving is not an option, Ouch! That can be a major problem, can’t it?
“Well, I don’t have to worry about that,” you might think. We have a big, easy entry shower complete with a bath seat. You’re right. Those are much easier for elderly seniors. BUT even they can be terrifying to a beloved elderly parent struggling with dementia. Even wobbliness from medications can make it more challenging!
Daily Baths for Elderly?
Not only all that! Did you know that daily baths are not necessarily the best thing for elderly skin? According to Dr C Brandon Mitchell, assistant professor of dermatology at George Washington University, adds washing strips the skin of its natural oils, which can disrupt ‘good’ bacteria that supports people’s immune systems…bathing just once or twice a week is usually sufficient for most.”
The National Institute on Aging recommends, “For most people, a full bath or shower two or three times a week is enough. Between full baths, a sponge bath to clean the face, hands, feet, underarms, and genitals is all you need to do every day.”
Bath Care for Elderly Parents With Dementia
For those dealing with elderly parents with dementia, the Alzheimers Association has some excellent tips for bathing them, including “Sponge bathe as an alternative. Don’t worry about the frequency of bathing. Sponge baths with a washcloth can be effective between showers. You may want to try non-rinse soap products, which can be used with warm towels and applied under the guise of providing a ‘massage.'”
Speaking of No Rinse Body Wash
As I’ve written before, including at:
- Baths for All the Ages of the Sandwich Generation Family
- No Rinse Shampoo and No Rinse Body Wash For Elderly Parents
no rinse body wash / soap and shampoo products are WONDERFUL! But they do have a couple of minor disadvantages.The bath wash can be put into warm water. But once it’s on the wash cloth, it’s a bit dribbly. The water drips and soon that is freezing her as well.
Drench Body Wipes for Elderly Parents
THEN I discovered Drench body wipes for the elderly (and other ages). They are extra large (compared to the wipes I use on the grandkids), a bit thicker, smell delightful, AND CAN BE WARMED IN THE MICROWAVE. Not only that, the warmth remains throughout the time it takes us for her to do a “spit bath” as she likes to call it.
I’m not going to tell you it’s miraculously made bath time a piece of cake. She really dislikes bath time as she prefers to stand in the bathroom and finds that it is very tiring for her. But she loves the way the Drench body wipes for the elderly smell, feel, AND stay WARM! I love how quickly (10-20 seconds) they heat and how well they hold the heat. AND how good they smell! AND how easy they are to order from Amazon!
More about these great wipes for elderly:
- Drench wipes for the elderly contain Aloe Vera and Chamomile to leave skin feeling soft and moisturized.
- They are also ready straight from the bag cold. You don’t need any sponge or special equipment to stop dripping, they are perfect straight away.
- They are GREAT for bedbound, bedfast and physically disabled or otherwise incapacitated patient where washing is difficult
Elderly Adult Wipes – Incontinence Issues
If you are traveling with an elderly parent who struggles with incontinence, these would be excellent to tuck into a plastic bag, with an extra bag for disposal. They are larger than the traditional wipes I like to use with the grandkids, making them doubly useful for elderly seniors. I will definitely keep these Drench wipes for elderly parents in mind if that becomes a need in our family!
ONE Caveat For ANY Wipes
The site mentions you can flush these in a toilet. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THAT AT ALL! Our city’s sewer department continually warns us to NEVER FLUSH ANYTHING OTHER THAN REGULAR TOILET PAPER due to a myriad of issues and problems anything else can cause. So if you will be away from home, just pack some baggies or plastic shopping bags to put the used wipes into (as I mentioned above) until you can throw them away. Same as I already do with baby wipes for the grandchildren
I LOVE these Body Wipes for Adults of All Ages!
These are such a help and a blessing. I’ve already mentioned them to another elderly senior living long distance. So far, she is managing ok. But I can tell they will be a huge help with her 1-2 times a week bathing schedule if she reaches the point of not being comfortable taking a shower – something I’d been a bit worried about. Anything that eases her stress and mine is a HUGE help in my book – and that is definitely true for these delightful Drench wipes for elderly parents! I definitely consider these excellent bath safety products elderly parents will appreciate – and so will we caregivers!
Kaye
P.S.
Luxury Body Wipes for Adults and Elderly (5-Pack) – No Rinse
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