Tips To Help Seniors Take Shower

As seniors get older, like those aged 65 or above, they struggle to do daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, grooming, or taking a senior shower. Doing all these basic and other tasks becomes daunting for seniors and they’ll likely need assistance for the same. 

Adult children and others taking care of seniors feel that this is an intimate task and might not consider the right thing to ask seniors if they need their help in showering. 

But there comes a time when assisting seniors with a shower becomes essential as doing so will make seniors clean, fresh, and clean. Let’s have an insight into some of the senior shower tips using which, you can help seniors take showers. 

Preparing Seniors For a Shower

The first thing is to make preparations for the senior shower and everything else next. Here are a few things you can consider while preparing seniors for a shower. 

Collect the essential items 

Before you ask seniors to take a shower, make sure to gather the things you’ll be required for a shower. Otherwise, you’ll have to keep seniors unattended and rusk to get the things. Some of the essential things to have by your side while assisting seniors take a shower include: 

• Soap 
• Shampoo & Conditioner 
• Sponge 
• Towel 
• Body lotion 
• Pair of clean clothes 

Check the room temperature 

Imagine seniors coming into a cold room after getting a warm shower. It will make seniors ill. That’s why, it is suggested to check the room temperature so that they don’t feel discomfort upon getting out of the shower. 

Make seniors ready

Next, you also need to assist seniors in getting undressed and ready for the shower. While doing so, make sure you respect their privacy. Allow seniors to do some things on their own if they are comfortable with it and only help them with the tasks they are unable to do. 

Helping Seniors Take Shower

Once you have made the senior ready for the shower, the next you need to assist them is with a shower. Here are some things to bear in mind while you assist seniors with bathing challenges. 

Test the water 

The first thing you need to do is test the water. Make sure to check the temperature of the water by taking some water on the back of your hand. Avoid too hot or cold water. Otherwise, it can make seniors’ skin dry, and prone to rashes and itchiness. 

Shower

Make sure seniors take the shower safely. Always be at the seniors’ side while they take a shower as they may need to hold their hand or grab the bar for stability purposes. 

Washing 

Whether seniors will require your help in washing or not will be determined by the senior’s abilities. If they can manage some things on their own and require little assistance, then give them a washcloth and sponge with some soap over it. Also, you can assist the seniors with the areas that are hard to reach for them such as back. 

But if the seniors require complete assistance, then the only option is that you’ll have to be by their side doing everything possible to make them take a shower. 

Drying 

Once you are done assisting with the senior shower, the next step is to dry them. When taking seniors out of the shower, make sure that the surface should be non-slippery. Apply lotion after drying the senior’s body with a towel as otherwise, their skin would become dry. 

Get seniors dressed

Now it’s the time to get seniors dressed. Help seniors wear clean pairs of clothes safely. Make sure you make seniors wear clothes properly so that they do not run the risk of falls. 

Keeping in mind these tips outlined below will help you to ensure safe bathing for seniors.