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The Importance Of Maintaining Personal Hygiene In Your Later Years

It is not uncommon for older adults to be hesitant towards regular bathing. In some cases, battles with dementia create forgetfulness that throws people off their traditional bathing routines. In other cases, mobility issues cause individuals to not enjoy taking baths and showers. Going through the aches and pains of bathing, some think, isn’t worth it. It should go without saying, however, that maintaining personal hygiene in your later years is super important.

What steps should seniors take in order to maintain proper hygiene?

Establish a regular routine.

This is one of the most important steps in elder care. By creating a regular routine, you help your elderly loved one to remember his/her daily requirements. Furthermore, you make each daily ritual less of a chore that is being commanded of him/her and more a part of everyday regular life. The ease with which one performs a task helps for that task to be more enjoyable. Establishing a regular routine will go a long way in helping your aging parent maintain good personal hygiene.

“Creating a daily hygiene routine can help your loved one get used to doing specific activities such as showering, brushing their hair and teeth,” says FirstLight Home Care, “Avoid making these daily hygiene routines seem like chores or something which must be rushed. Make it part of their day.”

Brush your teeth at least twice a day.

This is a piece of advice that we should all take. You don’t need to be an older adult to pay attention to the importance of oral care. An excellent rule of thumb is to both floss and brush your teeth after every meal. That way, you can ensure that no food particles are left between your teeth. Neglect of such food particles could lead to tooth decay. According to Oklahoma’s Saint Simeon’s, however, seniors should brush their teeth a minimum of two times daily.

“You should…brush your teeth twice a day to maintain strong gums and prevent gum disease,” stresses their website, “By brushing twice a day, you will reduce your risk of illnesses associated with poor oral hygiene.”

Ensure the bathroom is safe.

Naturally, the bathroom is the location of the house where the vast majority of personal hygiene upkeep is conducted. Is it a safe place to do so? Are all cleansing products within reach? Have the tripping hazards (such as throw rugs) been removed? Are the floors nice and dry? Ensuring that your bathroom is a slip-free zone is a great way to ensure that it is regularly visited by the senior who lives in your home.

“The fear of falling or slipping can often be enough to prevent seniors from using a shower or bath altogether,” notes FirstLight Home Care, “Install the right equipment in the bathroom – such as handrails in the shower and near the toilet, install raised toilet seats, and add a bench in the shower.”

At Advantage Home Health Solutions, we offer a wide variety of bath safety products to help make maintaining personal hygiene a lot easier for seniors. To learn all about them, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 403-460-5438. You may also email us by filling out the form on our Contact page.

Other Useful Information

A Guide For Seniors To Bolster Their Strength And Balance

A Guide For Seniors To Bolster Their Strength And Balance

Regularly addressing the needs of the older adults in our community, our team is adamant about keeping seniors safe all year round. A major reason is because falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of non-fatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults. This week we look at ways to bolster strength and balance.