Hygiene for Bed Bound Seniors
It is not uncommon to find seniors confined to bed due to their health conditions. Whether it is due to chronic illness, advanced age, or disability, being bedridden poses many challenges in a senior’s daily life, especially when it comes to personal hygiene.
Limited mobility comes with having to perform hygiene practices on bed. This requires a lot of creative thinking and planning, and sometimes you may find yourself running out of options. However difficult, a caregiver needs to assist a bed bound older adult maintain personal hygiene and let them live a happy, healthy life.
To help you gather some ideas, here are 6 useful tips to provide healthy hygiene to someone who is bed bound.
1. Giving bed baths
You need to be prepared with the right washing tools. Consider using the following items:
- Bath towels: Place these towels underneath the senior. This will keep the bed dry.
- Soft sponges or hand towels: Wet the sponge or hand towel with warm water and gently wash the face and body.
- A bucket of warm water: Have this next to the bed to minimise the bathing steps. Make sure to place the bucket in a secure place to avoid spillage.
- Moisturiser: Keep the person’s skin hydrated with a moisturiser. Use a gentle, fragrance-free moisturiser.
Note: Try to expose only the part of the body that is being cleaned. Keep the rest of the body covered for warmth and privacy.
2. Keeping hair clean
It is important to regularly wash hair and maintain personal hygiene. Here are some tips to washing hair in bed:
- Place towels under the head and shoulders.
- Comb hair beforehand to remove tangles.
- Use a spray bottle to wet the hair with warm water and use a small amount of shampoo at a time. Work from the scalp to the ends of the hair. Rinse the hair with a spray bottle of water.
- When the hair is clean, use a dry towel and hairdryer to dry the hair.
Try to give hair a thorough wash at least once a week. It is also a good idea to use a dry shampoo in between washes to keep hair from getting greasy.
3. Trimming nails
Long or jagged nails may present safety risks. Not only can they be the cause of scratch marks on skin, but also they can trap dirt and bacteria which can lead to infection.
So check your senior’s nails and maintain the appropriate nail length. Use a pair of nail clippers and nail file to smoothen the edges.
4. Changing bedding
For an older adult who is bed bound, all of their time is spent on their bed. This means the bed linens can quickly accumulate the person’s sweat, hair and crumbs from food. Therefore, the bedding needs to be changed often to maintain cleanliness of the bed and provide a more hygienic living condition for the bed bound person.
Have multiple sheets cleaned and ready to be changed each time. Choose linens that are smooth, easy to wash and hypo-allergenic. Give clear instructions to the person on the bed to minimise the steps of the changing process.
5. Brushing teeth after meals
You should also consider keeping your senior’s teeth and gums healthy. To practise oral hygiene after each meal, you can consider using floss and rinsing the mouth with a mouth wash.
If the senior can handle these tasks on their own, encourage brushing on their own. You can provide them with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, water and spit bucket.
5. Maintaining a clean room
A clean living space is important. Clutters of disorganised objects, excessive dust and food scraps lying about are all examples of a messy environment, which cause health and hygiene risk to the one living in it. On top of this, one’s mental and emotional well-being can also have a toll, an important reason why keeping the space clean is crucial.
Clear any clutters from the floor, keep the room comfortable and organised, and have plenty of natural light and air into the room to keep things fresh. This will help the bed bound individual feel more refreshed and stay positive.
If you and your older adult are needing extra help, Living Waters Aged Care is here to help.
Our health professionals and compassionate support workers do our best to assist the life you and your seniors envision.
Please contact us now to get started.
