Hair Alternative Medicine

Bath Time For Your Alzheimer's Patient


Caring for an Alzheimer's patient is one of the most difficult things you can do. It involves a lot of energy, time and patience. It can be very frustrating. People with Alzheimer's may refuse help from caregivers. This is a sign that they are actually trying to communicate with you. Refusal to accept care is a sign that something is missing or not right. It's up to the caregiver to assess the situation.

If your loved one refuses to take her bath or shower, this might be a clue that something is bothering her. It may be embarrassment. Remember that your loved one used to do all these things alone before she had Alzheimer's and now she has to depend on another person. It is very frustrating. You may have to limit bath time. Approach the situation one step at a time in a non-threatening manner. While you help your loved one undress, use a smooth calming voice. As you bathe her, you can talk about old memories you used to share. It will make the process more enjoyable and pleasant for both of you.

If this does not work and your loved one still resists your help, then you might need try again later. When people with Alzheimer's do not like to bathe, it often stems from fear. Make sure the lighting in the bathroom is adequate for your loved one to see. If she cannot see well, her fear will increase. Let the shower or bath run for a while to warm up the room. It will make it more comfortable. No one likes to undress in a cold room. If your loved one is using a shower, you might want to put a chair in it so she can sit down. You can purchase one of those at a medical supply store or drug store. Use a hand held shower head. This will take the water up to her level and will be less threatening.

Music is a good way to help as well. It can be good therapy. Studies have shown that some Alzheimer's patients react very well to music. They may feel less stress. Music can decrease emotions of agitation or aggressive behavior. You can play soft music; add some fragrance in the bathroom. It will make it more inviting. You can try to use the same rituals your loved one used before when taking a bath or a shower. Routine is extremely important for persons with Alzheimer's.

If you feel there is still tension and resistance, you can always choose another option. You can hire some professional help just for the bathing time. If you decide to get someone to help you, make sure that person has experience with Alzheimer's disease and knows how to handle patients with dementia. You can hire someone on your own or go through an agency. They have qualified people and will be able to assist you in this situation. Sometimes, the individual with dementia will respond better to a third party rather than a family member. Put yourself in her shoes, it can be really embarrassing having someone from your family bathe you. A disinterested, but gentle, third party may help greatly.

The main thing is to handle bath time in a loving manner. Your loved one will appreciate it and it will lower her stress level, as well as yours.

About The Author

William G. Hammond, JD is a nationally known elder law attorney and founder of The Alzheimer's Resource Center. He is a frequent guest on radio and television and has developed innovative solutions to guide families who have a loved one suffering from Alzheimer's. For more information you can visit his website at www.BeatAlzheimers.com.


MORE RESOURCES:

Alternative medicine finds its place mixed in with traditional practices
Appleton Post Crescent
In December 2008, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Center for Health Statistics released findings on ...
Med Students Embrace Integrative MedicineStop Aging Now

all 2 news articles »


World News

VBAC Can Be A Safe Alternative to Repeat C-Section
eMaxHealth
Although the panel agrees on more research, in general, VBAC is a safe alternative for women who have had one prior c-section performed through a transverse ...
High C-section rate spurs call for changeDetroit Free Press
Panel Urges New Look at Caesarean GuidelinesNew York Times
Vaginal birth or C-section?Xinhua
TopNews United States -The Associated Press
all 341 news articles »


Salon

Health Care Reform: Caddell and Schoen Have It Wrong
Huffington Post (blog)
But asking the question using Obama's name, and a specific Republican alternative, yielded a dead heat. Second, when we asked which party (in the health ...
The polling memo everyone is readingWashington Post (blog)
Reading the Tea Leaves With Blinders OnThe Moderate Voice

all 21 news articles »


New York Times (blog)

Health Reform Still Cuts the Deficit. (Does Anybody Care?)
Atlantic Online (blog)
... Alternative Minimum Tax is patched year after year. Supporters say "hey, look at all of these little ideas that can chop away at health care inflation. ...
Health and Student-Loan Bills ClashWall Street Journal
Student Loan Reform: What's It Doing in the Health Care Debate?CBS News
Healthcare Reform: Reconciliation MechanicsFinancial News USA (press release)
America's News Online -Spartanburg Herald Journal -The Associated Press
all 2,707 news articles »


Globe and Mail

HAND: GOP's ideas in health bill
Attleboro Sun Chronicle
Republicans such as Claiborne Pell and Bob Dole came out with what they called a "conservative" alternative. Some of the co-sponsors included current ...
Public Option Declared Dead, AgainTPMDC (blog)
Shooter: Democrats clueless on health care fixesThe Daily Toreador (registration)
Senate About-Face Puts Student Lending in LimboFinancial-Planning.com
Washington Post (blog) -Roll Call (subscription) -RTT News
all 2,334 news articles »


American Massage Therapy Association Maintains Focus to Influence Health Care
Massage Magazine
AMTA continues as a member of the Academic Consortium for Complementary and Alternative Health Care (ACCAHC). The mission of ACCAHC is to create and sustain ...

and more »


New York Daily News

Health Care's Obstacle: No Will to Cut
New York Times
It's a tough call, and the answer depends on what you see as the alternative to the current plan. If the past year of health care debate has offered a ...
The Unkindest CutAtlantic Online
123 people die every day without health careExaminer.com
Getting Rid of Health Insurance Would Improve Healthcare QualityThe Moderate Voice
The Detroit News -St. Louis Post-Dispatch (blog) -PR Newswire (press release)
all 2,419 news articles »


OregonLive.com

Health Insurance Really Tried
Huffington Post (blog)
They need to cover their costs and make a profit, so they have no alternative. The problem is that this is creating what engineers call a "positive feedback ...
At least one young person's paying attention to Obamacare - too bad he's not ...The Star-Ledger - NJ.com (blog)

all 134 news articles »


Health inspectors shut down Tufts fraternity
Boston Globe
... alternative accommodations this week after the Somerville Board of Health ordered the historic building vacated because of health and safety hazards. ...

and more »


New York Times (blog)

To Control Health Care Costs, Trace the Spending
New York Times (blog)
An alternative approach, however, and one that should precede any such intrusion into the health care sector, should be statistical research. ...

and more »

Google News

home | Iridology | "Mind Machines" | "Alternative Health" site map | Iridology Site Map | "Alternative Botox"
© 2000 - 2010