One of the primary responsibilities of caregivers is to ensure proper hygiene and grooming of the elderly person’s body. Hygiene is of great importance to health and well-being, and doing it efficiently doesn’t have to be an unpleasant chore for either party.
Mycie ciała: prysznic lub kąpiel
For every body wash, there are basic rules to follow:
- Personal hygiene is very important, but it cannot be done by force. If the client does not allow himself to be convinced about personal hygiene, the caregiver cannot forcibly enforce it.
- Any actions of the caregiver regarding hygiene procedures shall be explained to the person requiring care and reported in advance.
- General observation of the patient’s health should be carried out during personal hygiene.
- The body is washed thoroughly “from top to bottom” (i.e. from the head, upper body to the lower body).
- Separate washers and towels should be used for different parts of the body . Usually they are separated: one set for the upper part of the body, and another for the lower part of the body.
- It is recommended to use skin-neutral pH care products so as not to further burden the skin with chemicals.
- The caregiver should disinfect hands before and after completing all basic care activities and after contact with any kind of excretions or after contact with the intimate area of people requiring care.
- If gloves and disinfectants are not available in the home environment, caregivers must contact relatives or the agency.
Higiena Seniorki – mycie intymne kobiety
Before starting intimate hygiene and after finishing it, thoroughly wash your hands. Also,don’t forget about disposable gloves.
To avoid smearing fecal bacteria into the vagina during washing, it should be done from the vagina towards the anus:
- Lift the senior’s legs and slightly spread them
- Carefully wash the inner labia, spreading them and then dry them
- Gently wash the outer labia and dry them
- Thoroughly wash and dry the remaining intimate areas – if necessary, after consultation with doctors, relatives, and specialized nursing staff, observe them for any skin changes
- Turn the senior towards you (with the support of their relative if necessary)
- Thoroughly wash the anus from the anus towards the coccyx, then dry it – if necessary, after consulting with doctors, family, and nursing staff, observe it for any skin changes
Hygiene for the Elderly – male intimate washing
Before starting intimate hygiene and after finishing it, thoroughly wash your hands. Also, don’t forget about disposable gloves.
- Gently retract the foreskin of the penis
- Carefully wash the glans with a washcloth and dry it
- Carefully retract the foreskin back onto the penis
- Gently lift the scrotum, wash and dry it
- Thoroughly wash and dry the remaining intimate areas – if necessary, after consultation with doctors, relatives, and specialized nursing staff, observe them for any skin changes
- Turn the senior towards you (with the support of their relative if necessary)
- Thoroughly wash the anus from the anus towards the coccyx, then dry it – if necessary, after consulting with doctors, family, and nursing staff, observe it for any skin changes
- Complete hygiene includes washing the entire body – that is, face, neck, décolletage, chest, abdomen, arms, armpits, hands, back, feet, legs, and genital area (preferably in this order). Washing the entire body should be done once a day. The exception to this rule is for terminally ill individuals or those in very poor general condition.
- Partial hygiene includes washing only the face and the genital area. If necessary, such washing can and should be done several times a day. Partial washing is usually done in the morning or evening (depending on when the whole body is washed), and then again after lunch.
Whole-body washing and partial washing can be done in different ways:
Bed bathing
Care recipients who, due to their health condition (including after surgery or an accident), cannot take a bath, shower, or wash while sitting at the sink, must be bathed in bed, lying down.
Aids for bathing the senior in bed: disposable bed sheets, towels, pads, diapers in case of urinary incontinence, garbage bags for used hygiene products, healing ointments, and possibly replacement bedding within reach, several washcloths (at least 2), several small towels (at least 2), pH-balanced cleansing products, a washing basin, hand disinfectants, gloves During back washing, changing diapers, and dressing, the senior should be turned carefully. It is important for the senior not to feel pain. During washing, the skin should also be thoroughly examined for any changes orabnormalities. Take care of sore, dry, cracked areas of the skin – it is best to discuss this with relatives, doctors, or specialists.
Sample method of bed bathing a care recipient:
- Place hygiene products and all necessary tools within reach of the bed, including change of clothing. Communicate with the care recipient at all times to let them know what you intend to do
- Disposable bed sheets, pads, or towels should be placed under the patient
- Check the water temperature for the care recipient’s bath. If the temperature is room temperature, you can proceed with the bath
- Disinfect your hands, change gloves, and uncover the care recipient
- First, undress the upper body of the senior
- Partial washing of the upper body includes washing the face and armpits, while full-body washing includes washing the face, neck, décolletage, chest, abdomen, arms, hands, armpits, and back
- First, wash the front side, then the back, and dry each area with a towel.
- After washing, apply healing creams suitable for the type of condition on dry, cracked areas of the skin or wounds.
- Dress the upper body (if necessary, put on an undershirt, and then a blouse).
- Undress the lower body of the care recipient.
- Disinfect your hands.
- Wash the lower body (for partial washing: wash the genital area and disinfect your hands; for full-body washing: wash the feet, legs, genital area, and disinfect your hands), then dry with a towel.
- After washing, apply healing creams suitable for the type of condition on dry, cracked areas of the skin or wounds.
- Dress the lower body of the care recipient, and in case of incontinence, check the diaper and change if necessary. Put on underwear or trousers, put on socks, turn the care recipient or let them grab the bed rail to pull up all clothing items.
- Cover the senior with a light blanket, as the body may be slightly cooled after contact with water.
- Clean all tools that were used for washing and discard those that were for single use.
- Place the dirty clothing of the care recipient in the appropriate containers.
- Disinfect your hands.
- Shower
Shower and bath are treated equally in terms of care. It is best for the care recipient to take a shower or bath once a week. Often, taking a shower or bath is done by nursing or caregiver staff. These basic hygiene measures are only used when the general condition and circulatory status of the senior allow it. In this case, it is worth washing the care recipient’s hair at the same time.
If the person requiring care is mobile enough to enter the bathroom on their own, the caregiver simply supervises them. If the person requiring care cannot independently access the bathroom using necessary equipment and aids, they must be assisted by the caregiver, for example, by bringing them to the bathroom and seating them on a shower chair or in front of the sink in a wheelchair.
Aids for washing the senior in the bathroom: towels, diapers in the case of urinary incontinence, garbage bags, e.g., for used hygiene products, ointments for wounds and healing, changing pads, several washcloths (at least 2), several small towels (at least 2), pH-neutral cleansing fluids, pH-neutral shampoo friendly to the skin, gloves, non-slip footwear.
Before taking a shower or bath, the caregiver should also put on non-slip footwear and, if necessary, a shower apron.
- Prepare the bathroom: cleaning supplies should be at hand, the floor must be dry to prevent slipping, also lay down non-slip mats if possible.
- Ask the care recipient to undress and put on non-slip shoes.
- Allow them to check the water temperature.
- Seat the care recipient on the shower chair.
- Make sure the care recipient is able to take a shower independently, offer your assistance if necessary.
- Hand them soap and a washcloth/sponge for washing their face and offer help with washing their hair.
- Hand them a washcloth/sponge for washing the upper body.
- After washing the upper and lower body with soap, rinse off the lather under running water.
- Thoroughly dry the care recipient’s body and hair.
- If necessary, apply balms or recommended creams to the senior’s body.
- Dress the upper and lower body.
- Style the hair according to the care recipient’s preference: drying with a hairdryer, curling iron, etc.
- If the senior is capable, encourage them to independently maintain body hygiene under the caregiver’s supervision, as this is also important for their mental well-being.
- After completing the hygiene tasks, clean the bathroom: wipe the floor dry, clean the shower or bathtub, organize any equipment and aids.
- Place dirty laundry in the appropriate containers.
Hair washing in bed
Recipients who cannot get out of bed due to their health condition must also regularly wash their hair and scalp. This hygienic activity should be carried out at least once a week. Aids for washing hair in bed: hydrophobic pads, 1 washcloth, 1 bucket, 1 hair washing basin for bedridden individuals, pH-neutral shampoo, towel, water bowl, small cup, optionally fresh bedding, and change of clothes.
Before washing the hair, the care recipient must lie flat on their back.
- Place waterproof pads under the care recipient’s head.
- Position the hair washing basin directly under the care recipient’s head.
- Place the bucket on the floor to collect the water from the hose attached to the hair washing basin.
- Rinse the care recipient’s hair with a small stream of water using one hand, and use the washcloth to protect the face from splashes.
- Thoroughly wash the damp hair with shampoo.
- Rinse the hair thoroughly with a small stream of water, protecting the face from splashes with the washcloth or washcloth.
- Dry the care recipient’s hair with a towel and, if necessary, blow-dry it.
- Carefully remove the basin and the hydrophobic pad.
- If necessary, replace the wet or dirty bedding and clothing.
- Style the hair according to the care recipient’s wishes.
- Clear, clean, and wash the equipment and aids used for washing the hair.
- Empty the bowl and the hair washing basin in the bathroom and clean them together with the tools and all the equipment.
