Tips for daily dressing, oral care and assisting in bathing

Tips for daily dressing, oral care and assisting in bathing

Difficulties choosing the right clothes or dressing appropriately

Dementia can affect the person’s ability to choose clothes and dress appropriately.

ou can assist the person you care for to choose clothes and to dress in a way that makes the most use of their remaining skills. You should not take over these tasks when the person living with dementia can still perform them.

Let’s look at an example

Saad has Alzheimer’s disease and is cared for by his wife Abir. Saad used to lay out his clothes for the next day in the evening.

Recently, Abir found that Saad forgets to do this and is inclined to wear the same clothes every day. Abir also observes

that Saad leaves some buttons of his shirt undone, his belt unbuckled and forgets to lace up his shoes.

2. Check your understanding

Getting dressed.

What would you think is the right response for Abir?
Please select the correct answer.

Tell Saad that he needs to be less messy, choose clothes for Saad and dress him.
This answer is not helpful. It is not Saad’s fault that he is finding this task challenging. With some extra help, Saad may still be able to dress himself.

Remind Saad to lay out his clothes in the evening and encourage him to wear pants that do not need a belt and shoes that do not need laces.
You are right! It will enable Saad to dress himself, which may also help improve his sense of self-worth.

Difficulties brushing one’s teeth

Dementia not only affects memory but also organization, coordination and concentration, which are required to perform mouth care.

Poor mouth care is associated with poor appetite, bad breath, infections of the teeth or gums and other health problems.

The goal of assisting with mouth care is to help the person make the most use of their remaining skills.

Let’s look at an example

Haider has Alzheimer’s disease but is able to brush his teeth without assistance. Recently, Haider’s wife, Haseena notices that her husband makes a big mess in the bathroom with water and toothpaste on the countertop and the floor. She also observes that her husband is unable to brush his teeth in the order that he usually does and can’t insert his artificial dentures himself.

3. Check your understanding

Promoting mouth care.

What would you think is the right response for Haseena ?
Please select the correct answer.

Put Haider’s dentures into his mouth without asking.
This is not the right answer. Haseena is completely taking over care tasks and not even asking his permission. This response may upset Haider.

Instruct her husband how to brush his teeth step-by-step and praise him when he is doing well.
This is the best answer. Haider maintains a level of independence in this way, which may also help to improve his sense of self-worth.

1.Activity

Please select any mouth care steps that the person you care for needs help with from the list below.

Putting toothpaste on the toothbrush

Brushing teeth in an order that will clean teeth and gums

Rinsing and cleaning mouth

Using floss or toothpick to clean between teeth daily

Applying balm to moisturize lips when needed

Checking for signs of mouth infections or toothache when needed

Removing, washing, cleaning, and storing artificial dentures if needed

Difficulties performing personal care and bathing

Dementia may also affect the person’s ability to wash their hair and take a shower or a bath. A person living with

dementia may view assistance with personal care as a threat to his or her privacy, safety and security, and may refuse or resist any help.

Let’s look at an example

Rahim has Alzheimer’s disease and is cared for by his

wife Reem. Due to her age, Reem is not strong enough to help bathe Rahim anymore, so the family decides that the three sons-in-law could take turns to help with Rahim’s weekly bath.

The oldest son-in-law is very kind to Rahim and reassures him that he will make him comfortable during the bath. He takes Rahim to the bathroom and starts to undress him. Rahim suddenly pushes him away, shouts at him and tells him to go away.

4. Check your understanding

Resisting help with bathing.

What would you think is the right response for Rahim’s family?
Please select the correct answer.

Since the family notices that Rahim thought his son-in-law was a stranger, Reem decides to be with Rahim while her son-in-law bathes him.
Good advice! A person living with dementia may no longer recognize people they used to know, so giving them plenty of transition time to get familiar with people is very important. them plenty of transition time to get familiar with people is very important.

They should say to Rahim that he should be grateful for the help he receives and if he continues to behave this way, he will be sent to a long-term care facility.
This is bad advice. Never threaten people with dementia longer recognize people they used to know, so giving in this way. Saying things like this will not help the situation and will make Rahim feel very distressed.

When assisting with personal care, ask the person living with dementia for their preferences whenever possible and respect their choice. Reassure them that they are safe and comfortable.

People with dementia may show resistance during personal care, or even become aggressive like Rahim in this example. To read more about how to prevent or deal with aggression, please refer to Lesson 3. Aggression in Module 5.

Tip

Below are some tips for assisting with bathing.

Identify the times of day that the person you care for prefers to have a bath/shower.
Switch from a shower/bath to a sponge bath. (Note: bathtubs are particularly difficult as they may lead to falls and it may be hard for the carer to lift the person living with dementia out of the tub.)
If using the shower or bathtub, use a non-slip bath or shower mat to help prevent falls.
Adaptive seating or equipment, such as grab bars and shower chairs, may help.
For people with dementia who are afraid of water, try to reduce the water flow.

Lesson 4. Personal care

Tips for daily dressing, oral care and assisting in bathing

Tip

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