* Encourage the person to do as much as possible, but be ready to assist when needed. Assess his or her ability to:
* Find the bathroom.
* See clearly.
* Keep balance without fear of falling.
* Reach and stretch arms.
* Remember steps in the bathing process, follow cues or examples.
* Know how to use different products (soap, shampoo, washcloth, etc.).
* Sense water temperature.
Credit : www.alz.org
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Bathing Introduction
Bathing is often the most difficult personal-care activity that caregivers face. Because it is such an intimate experience, people with dementia may perceive it as unpleasant or threatening. In turn, they may act in disruptive ways, like screaming, resisting or hitting.
Such behavior often occurs because the person doesn’t remember what bathing is for or doesn’t have the patience to endure such unpleasant parts of the task like lack of modesty, being cold or other discomforts. Here are some tips to make bathing the person with dementia easier.
Credit : http://www.alz.org
Such behavior often occurs because the person doesn’t remember what bathing is for or doesn’t have the patience to endure such unpleasant parts of the task like lack of modesty, being cold or other discomforts. Here are some tips to make bathing the person with dementia easier.
Credit : http://www.alz.org
ROMAN BATHS AND BATHING
Of all the leisure activities, bathing was surely the most important for the greatest number of Romans, since it was part of the daily regimen for men of all classes, and many women as well. We think of bathing as a very private activity conducted in the home, but bathing in Rome was a communal activity, conducted for the most part in public facilities that in some ways resembled modern spas or health clubs (although they were far less expensive). A modern scholar, Fikret Yegül, sums up the significance of Roman baths in the following way (Baths and Bathing in Classical Antiquity. Cambridge: MIT, 1992):
The universal acceptance of bathing as a central event in daily life belongs to the Roman world and it is hardly an exaggeration to say that at the height of the empire, the baths embodied the ideal Roman way of urban life. Apart from their normal hygienic functions, they provided facilities for sports and recreation. Their public nature created the proper environment—much like a city club or community center—for social intercourse varying from neighborhood gossip to business discussions. There was even a cultural and intellectual side to the baths since the truly grand establishments, the thermae, incorporated libraries, lecture halls, colonnades, and promenades and assumed a character like the Greek gymnasium. (30)
Although wealthy Romans might set up a bath in their town houses or especially in their country villas, heating a series of rooms or even a separate building especially for this purpose, even they often frequented the numerous public bathhouses in the cities and towns throughout the empire. Small bathhouses, called balneae, might be privately owned, but they were public in the sense that they were open to the populace for a fee, which was usually quite reasonable. The large baths, called thermae, were owned by the state and often covered several city blocks. Fees for both types of baths were quite reasonable, within the budget of most free Roman males. Since the Roman workday began at sunrise, work was usually over at little after noon. About 2:00-3:00 pm, men would go to the baths and plan to stay for several hours of sport, bathing, and conversation, after which they would be ready for a relaxing dinner. Republican bathhouses often had separate bathing facilities for women and men, but by the empire the custom was to open the bathhouses to women during the early part of the day and reserve it for men from 2:00 pm until closing time (usually sundown, though we occasionally hear of a bath being used at night). For example, one contract for the management of a provincial bath specified that the facility would be open to women from daybreak until about noon, and to men from about 2:00 pm until sunset; although the women got the less desirable hours, their fee was twice as high as the men's, 1 as (a copper coin) for a woman and ½ as for a man. Mixed bathing was generally frowned upon, although the fact that various emperors repeatedly forbade it seems to indicate that the prohibitions did not always work. Certainly women who were concerned about their respectability did not frequent the baths when the men were there, but of course the baths were an excellent place for prostitutes to ply their trade.
Piazza Armerina gymnast
Exercise: Bathing had a fairly regular ritual, and bathhouses were built to accommodate this. Upon entering the baths, individuals went first to the dressing room (apodyterium—this reconstruction drawing shows the men's dressing room in the Forum Baths in Pompeii), where there were niches and cabinets to store their street clothes and shoes (in the model above, the dressing room is on the left, farthest from the furnace; click here for a closer look). Many bathers were accompanied by one or more slaves to carry their gear and guard their clothes in the dressing rooms, but the bathhouses provided attendants who would watch over the belongings of the poorest for a fee. Sometimes the dressing room did double duty; for example, in the Stabian Baths in Pompeii the women's dressing room also served as a frigidarium, containing a small cold-water pool (note the graffito of a ship scratched into the post separating two niches in this room). Although the evidence is not clear about exactly what Romans wore when bathing, it seems probable that they did not exercise in the nude (as Greek males did) and may also have worn some light covering in the baths—perhaps the subligaculum. Within the baths special sandals with thick soles were needed to protect the feet from the heated floors.
This plan of the Stabian Baths shows the efficient design of a relatively small Republican bathhouse with separate facilities for men and women. The large central courtyard was the exercise ground (palaestra); it was surrounded by a shady portico which led into the bathing rooms. They might also take a swim in the large outdoor pool (natatio) such as this one in the Stabian Baths. After changing clothes and oiling their bodies, male bathers typically began their regimen with exercise, ranging from mild weight-lifting (as shown in the image at left), wrestling, various types of ball playing, running, and swimming (click here to find out more about Roman ball games). Although women athletes (like the one at left) are shown in the famous fourth-century CE mosaics from Piazza Armerina in Sicily, these apparently depict some sort of contest or competition rather than ordinary practice. Most of those exercising in the palaestrae were likely to be men.
Bathing: After exercise, bathers would have the dirt and oil scraped from their bodies with a curved metal implement called a strigil. Then the bathing proper began. Accompanied by a slave carrying their towels, oil flasks and strigils, bathers would progress at a leisurely pace through rooms of various temperature. They might start in the warm room (tepidarium), which had heated walls and floors but sometimes had no pool, and then proceed to the hot bath (caldarium), which was closest to the furnace. This room had a large tub or small pool with very hot water and a waist-high fountain (labrum) with cool water to splash on the face and neck. After this the bather might spend some time in the tepidarium again before finishing in the cold room (frigidarium) with a refreshing dip in the cold pool. Other rooms provided moist steam, dry heat like a sauna (laconicum), and massage with perfumed oils.
model of baths of Trajan
After their baths, patrons could stroll in the gardens, visit the library, watch performances of jugglers or acrobats, listen to a literary recital, or buy a snack from the many food vendors. Doubtless the baths were noisy, as the philosopher Seneca complained when he lived near a bathhouse in Rome, but the baths were probably very attractive places. Although most of the fine decor has not survived, many writers comment on the beauty and luxury of the bathhouses, with their well-lighted, airy rooms with high vaulted ceilings, lovely mosaics, paintings and colored marble panels, and silver faucets and fittings. This computer-generated reconstruction of the frigidarium of the baths of Hadrian at Lepcis Magna in Libya gives some idea of the splendor of the Roman thermae. The model at right depicts the baths of Trajan, located near the Colosseum. Enjoy a virtual bath by visiting these baths in Region III of VRoma, either via the web gateway or the anonymous browser.)
Heating System: Roman engineers devised an ingenious system of heating the baths—the hypocaust. The floor was raised off the ground by pillars and spaces were left inside the walls so that hot air from the furnace (praefurnium) could circulate through these open areas. Rooms requiring the most heat were placed closest to the furnace, whose heat could be increased by adding more wood. Click here to see the skeleton of a dog found in the hypocaust of a bath in Germany; it had apparently crawled beneath the floor seeking warmth and been asphyxiated by the fumes.
Latrines: Bathhouses also had large public latrines, often with marble seats over channels whose continuous flow of water constituted the first “flush toilets.” A shallow water channel in front of the seats was furnished with sponges attached to sticks for patrons to wipe themselves.
Sources
Barbara F. McManus, The College of New Rochelle
bmcmanus@cnr.edu
revised July, 2003
Credit : www.vroma.org
The universal acceptance of bathing as a central event in daily life belongs to the Roman world and it is hardly an exaggeration to say that at the height of the empire, the baths embodied the ideal Roman way of urban life. Apart from their normal hygienic functions, they provided facilities for sports and recreation. Their public nature created the proper environment—much like a city club or community center—for social intercourse varying from neighborhood gossip to business discussions. There was even a cultural and intellectual side to the baths since the truly grand establishments, the thermae, incorporated libraries, lecture halls, colonnades, and promenades and assumed a character like the Greek gymnasium. (30)
Although wealthy Romans might set up a bath in their town houses or especially in their country villas, heating a series of rooms or even a separate building especially for this purpose, even they often frequented the numerous public bathhouses in the cities and towns throughout the empire. Small bathhouses, called balneae, might be privately owned, but they were public in the sense that they were open to the populace for a fee, which was usually quite reasonable. The large baths, called thermae, were owned by the state and often covered several city blocks. Fees for both types of baths were quite reasonable, within the budget of most free Roman males. Since the Roman workday began at sunrise, work was usually over at little after noon. About 2:00-3:00 pm, men would go to the baths and plan to stay for several hours of sport, bathing, and conversation, after which they would be ready for a relaxing dinner. Republican bathhouses often had separate bathing facilities for women and men, but by the empire the custom was to open the bathhouses to women during the early part of the day and reserve it for men from 2:00 pm until closing time (usually sundown, though we occasionally hear of a bath being used at night). For example, one contract for the management of a provincial bath specified that the facility would be open to women from daybreak until about noon, and to men from about 2:00 pm until sunset; although the women got the less desirable hours, their fee was twice as high as the men's, 1 as (a copper coin) for a woman and ½ as for a man. Mixed bathing was generally frowned upon, although the fact that various emperors repeatedly forbade it seems to indicate that the prohibitions did not always work. Certainly women who were concerned about their respectability did not frequent the baths when the men were there, but of course the baths were an excellent place for prostitutes to ply their trade.
Piazza Armerina gymnast
Exercise: Bathing had a fairly regular ritual, and bathhouses were built to accommodate this. Upon entering the baths, individuals went first to the dressing room (apodyterium—this reconstruction drawing shows the men's dressing room in the Forum Baths in Pompeii), where there were niches and cabinets to store their street clothes and shoes (in the model above, the dressing room is on the left, farthest from the furnace; click here for a closer look). Many bathers were accompanied by one or more slaves to carry their gear and guard their clothes in the dressing rooms, but the bathhouses provided attendants who would watch over the belongings of the poorest for a fee. Sometimes the dressing room did double duty; for example, in the Stabian Baths in Pompeii the women's dressing room also served as a frigidarium, containing a small cold-water pool (note the graffito of a ship scratched into the post separating two niches in this room). Although the evidence is not clear about exactly what Romans wore when bathing, it seems probable that they did not exercise in the nude (as Greek males did) and may also have worn some light covering in the baths—perhaps the subligaculum. Within the baths special sandals with thick soles were needed to protect the feet from the heated floors.
This plan of the Stabian Baths shows the efficient design of a relatively small Republican bathhouse with separate facilities for men and women. The large central courtyard was the exercise ground (palaestra); it was surrounded by a shady portico which led into the bathing rooms. They might also take a swim in the large outdoor pool (natatio) such as this one in the Stabian Baths. After changing clothes and oiling their bodies, male bathers typically began their regimen with exercise, ranging from mild weight-lifting (as shown in the image at left), wrestling, various types of ball playing, running, and swimming (click here to find out more about Roman ball games). Although women athletes (like the one at left) are shown in the famous fourth-century CE mosaics from Piazza Armerina in Sicily, these apparently depict some sort of contest or competition rather than ordinary practice. Most of those exercising in the palaestrae were likely to be men.
Bathing: After exercise, bathers would have the dirt and oil scraped from their bodies with a curved metal implement called a strigil. Then the bathing proper began. Accompanied by a slave carrying their towels, oil flasks and strigils, bathers would progress at a leisurely pace through rooms of various temperature. They might start in the warm room (tepidarium), which had heated walls and floors but sometimes had no pool, and then proceed to the hot bath (caldarium), which was closest to the furnace. This room had a large tub or small pool with very hot water and a waist-high fountain (labrum) with cool water to splash on the face and neck. After this the bather might spend some time in the tepidarium again before finishing in the cold room (frigidarium) with a refreshing dip in the cold pool. Other rooms provided moist steam, dry heat like a sauna (laconicum), and massage with perfumed oils.
model of baths of Trajan
After their baths, patrons could stroll in the gardens, visit the library, watch performances of jugglers or acrobats, listen to a literary recital, or buy a snack from the many food vendors. Doubtless the baths were noisy, as the philosopher Seneca complained when he lived near a bathhouse in Rome, but the baths were probably very attractive places. Although most of the fine decor has not survived, many writers comment on the beauty and luxury of the bathhouses, with their well-lighted, airy rooms with high vaulted ceilings, lovely mosaics, paintings and colored marble panels, and silver faucets and fittings. This computer-generated reconstruction of the frigidarium of the baths of Hadrian at Lepcis Magna in Libya gives some idea of the splendor of the Roman thermae. The model at right depicts the baths of Trajan, located near the Colosseum. Enjoy a virtual bath by visiting these baths in Region III of VRoma, either via the web gateway or the anonymous browser.)
Heating System: Roman engineers devised an ingenious system of heating the baths—the hypocaust. The floor was raised off the ground by pillars and spaces were left inside the walls so that hot air from the furnace (praefurnium) could circulate through these open areas. Rooms requiring the most heat were placed closest to the furnace, whose heat could be increased by adding more wood. Click here to see the skeleton of a dog found in the hypocaust of a bath in Germany; it had apparently crawled beneath the floor seeking warmth and been asphyxiated by the fumes.
Latrines: Bathhouses also had large public latrines, often with marble seats over channels whose continuous flow of water constituted the first “flush toilets.” A shallow water channel in front of the seats was furnished with sponges attached to sticks for patrons to wipe themselves.
Sources
Barbara F. McManus, The College of New Rochelle
bmcmanus@cnr.edu
revised July, 2003
Credit : www.vroma.org
Bath And Body Care
After an exhausting day your body needs to be relaxed and pampered in order to get a good night's sleep. You must take care of your body not only in the day but in the night as well. While you sleep at the night, the body is resting and replenishing itself. There are a few things that you can do to relax the body to help in the replenishing process. Here are a few ideas for bath and body care in the night:
* Take a warm, soothing bath. Fill your bathtub with warm water and some lavender that helps in calming and relaxing the body and reduces muscle tension. You can add chamomile, which is a skin soother and helps in reducing swelling and pain in the skin. Lie in the bath for some time and let these herbs relax your body and mind.
* If you want to wake up with a tan you can use a self-tanning lotion overnight. Exfoliate your skin with a scrub and moisturize. Once the moisturizer is fully absorbed spread the self-tanning lotion evenly all over your body, working on one portion of the body at a time. Use wipes to wipe the tanner off your palm and fingers as you apply the lotion. Today there are many self-tanning lotions that dry in five minutes.
* Your hands are the first to show signs of aging and often neglected as well. Give your hands a new lease of life. Apply a generous amount of rich hand cream to restore lost moisture. This is an important part of night body care.
* While sleeping in your bed, ensure that your neck is properly supported through the night. Buy a good quality people to help keep the stress off your neck. Your sleep should rejuvenate you so ensure that every part of your body is taken care of properly.
* Ingrown hairs block pores and can cause bacteria to develop, resulting in redness and swelling. Use a cream that has glycolic and salicylic acid that removes the bacteria. Make it a part of your night care routine for a few nights and you will get rid of ingrown hairs.
* Your feet support the weight of your entire body. Find time to take care of them. If they are callused and cracked moisturize them well. If they are cracked use a foot cream that has glycolic acid. Apply this cream before you sleep and slip on a pair of clean cotton socks. This should be another important part of your body care routine every night.
* Light aromatic candles in your bedroom. These candles will provide a soothing atmosphere and relax your senses. Just remember to blow them out before you sleep.
* Keep the humidifier running in the bedroom to keep the air moist. You skin will glow and be replenished by the moist air through the night.
* Use a "hot stone massage" to heat your heart. This treatment that is common in spas can be done at home too. You need a smooth flat stone as large as the human hand. You can find one on the beach or buy one in a skin care boutique. Follow the instructions given below:
· Boil water in a pot.
· Add rosemary, clove and peppermint into the water.
· Put the rock into the water and let it stay there till it is heated.
· Put off the heat and allow the rock to turn nice and warm.
· Lie down in a dark or softly lit bedroom and place the warm rock between your breasts, on your chest. Allow the warmth and aroma of the stone to relax you and soothe you into a deep peaceful sleep.
Credit : http://beauty.iloveindia.com
* Take a warm, soothing bath. Fill your bathtub with warm water and some lavender that helps in calming and relaxing the body and reduces muscle tension. You can add chamomile, which is a skin soother and helps in reducing swelling and pain in the skin. Lie in the bath for some time and let these herbs relax your body and mind.
* If you want to wake up with a tan you can use a self-tanning lotion overnight. Exfoliate your skin with a scrub and moisturize. Once the moisturizer is fully absorbed spread the self-tanning lotion evenly all over your body, working on one portion of the body at a time. Use wipes to wipe the tanner off your palm and fingers as you apply the lotion. Today there are many self-tanning lotions that dry in five minutes.
* Your hands are the first to show signs of aging and often neglected as well. Give your hands a new lease of life. Apply a generous amount of rich hand cream to restore lost moisture. This is an important part of night body care.
* While sleeping in your bed, ensure that your neck is properly supported through the night. Buy a good quality people to help keep the stress off your neck. Your sleep should rejuvenate you so ensure that every part of your body is taken care of properly.
* Ingrown hairs block pores and can cause bacteria to develop, resulting in redness and swelling. Use a cream that has glycolic and salicylic acid that removes the bacteria. Make it a part of your night care routine for a few nights and you will get rid of ingrown hairs.
* Your feet support the weight of your entire body. Find time to take care of them. If they are callused and cracked moisturize them well. If they are cracked use a foot cream that has glycolic acid. Apply this cream before you sleep and slip on a pair of clean cotton socks. This should be another important part of your body care routine every night.
* Light aromatic candles in your bedroom. These candles will provide a soothing atmosphere and relax your senses. Just remember to blow them out before you sleep.
* Keep the humidifier running in the bedroom to keep the air moist. You skin will glow and be replenished by the moist air through the night.
* Use a "hot stone massage" to heat your heart. This treatment that is common in spas can be done at home too. You need a smooth flat stone as large as the human hand. You can find one on the beach or buy one in a skin care boutique. Follow the instructions given below:
· Boil water in a pot.
· Add rosemary, clove and peppermint into the water.
· Put the rock into the water and let it stay there till it is heated.
· Put off the heat and allow the rock to turn nice and warm.
· Lie down in a dark or softly lit bedroom and place the warm rock between your breasts, on your chest. Allow the warmth and aroma of the stone to relax you and soothe you into a deep peaceful sleep.
Credit : http://beauty.iloveindia.com
Bathing
One of the most important ways of taking care of your body is to have a good bath. There is no doubt that a good bath cleans and refreshes your body but it can be relaxing for the mind as well. It is important to have a bath everyday in order to maintain good hygiene as well. A bath in the evening or night removes all the dust, grime and sweat that you have gathered throughout day. A bath early in the morning refreshes you and makes you ready for the whole day. Bathing can be made a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Making the right kind of arrangements in the bathroom and adding the right kind accessories in the bathroom can make your bath refreshing and soothing.
Here are a few bathroom ideas to create a luxurious bathing experience:
* Keep a stock of soft fluffy bath towels. Use a heated towel rail to warm them. This will make you feel nice and pampered after your bath.
* Invest in a good bath pillow, as it will help you relax while soaking in the bath.
* Create a soothing and relaxing environment in the bathroom by using tea lights and scented candles, as it will create a peaceful environment.
* Spoil yourself with luxurious, fragrant soaps and bath oils.
* Turn off the phone and switch of the answering machine and your mobile and anything else that can disturb your bath.
* Play some calming music that will help you relax better.
Credit : http://beauty.iloveindia.com
Here are a few bathroom ideas to create a luxurious bathing experience:
* Keep a stock of soft fluffy bath towels. Use a heated towel rail to warm them. This will make you feel nice and pampered after your bath.
* Invest in a good bath pillow, as it will help you relax while soaking in the bath.
* Create a soothing and relaxing environment in the bathroom by using tea lights and scented candles, as it will create a peaceful environment.
* Spoil yourself with luxurious, fragrant soaps and bath oils.
* Turn off the phone and switch of the answering machine and your mobile and anything else that can disturb your bath.
* Play some calming music that will help you relax better.
Credit : http://beauty.iloveindia.com
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Bathing Tips
Safely bathing an individual affected by Alzheimer’s Disease can be a challenging task and a source of frustration for a caregiver who is concerned about maintaining her loved one’s dignity and hygiene. What complicates matters is that the individual with dementia may find bathing a frightening and uncomfortable process. Remember: no one ever died from not getting a bath. Here are some tips to giving your loved one a bath while avoiding as fuss as much as possible
1) A shower is generally easier and safer than a bath: Giving a person a shower instead of trying to lower them into and lift them out of a bathtub full of water is generally easier to manage. It is also considerably safer. Getting a wet person out of a slippery tub puts both of you at risk for injury.
2) Hand-held shower head: Equipping the shower with a hand held shower head can help to ease your loved one’s fear and prevent some of the struggle. The water coming down from a regular shower head on a person’s head can set them up for a panicked response. Most hand-held shower heads also have an on and off switch so you can have to water running only when you want. Be sure to get one that you can have some control on the flow of water coming from it as slowing the water down when washing the hair and other more sensitive areas is advisable.
3) Have a shower chair: Sitting your loved one down on a shower chair can help make them feel more secure and helps you to wash them more effectively. The chair helps to stabilize the person being washed and gives both of you something to hold onto.
4) Rails in the shower: Having strong and secure handrails in the shower that both of you can hold onto while maneuvering in the shower area. The rails also give the caregiver something solid to hold onto while washing.
5 Anti-skid decals and mats on the floor of the shower: Small rubber anti-skid decorations can be used as a substitute for the rubber mat. The mat covers a larger area but is generally raised and can be a tripping point.
6) Prepare the bathing area ahead of time: It really helps to have everything all set up for a bath ahead of time. That way once you can quickly move your loved one into the area without having to pause to get things ready. It is a good idea to make the bathroom warmer and test the water temperature ahead of time.
7) Respect your loved one’s privacy: Sitting nude in the shower with someone makes a person feel vulnerable and perhaps violated, even when they are a close family member. This is even true when the caregiver is a loved spouse of many years. Wrapping a towel around your loved one or even leaving their underwear on can help make them feel less violated. You may give your loved one a washcloth and verbally direct her to wash her more private areas. Don’t get preoccupied with getting it done "perfectly." There should be enough water flow that the areas were sufficiently washed even without a thorough scrubbing. Stay in direct sight while washing the individual.
8) Keep the stimulation to a minimum: Bathrooms are generally small areas with a lot of things going on: running water, echoes, soapy wash cloths, differences in temperature, and strange people. Mirrors make it look as if there is a whole crowd in the room just watching them in the nude. Covering the mirror on the medicine cabinet may reduce the feeling of "being watched." Keeping the sink and toilet free of objects may also help. Avoid slippery throw rugs and mats.
9) Make bathing as pleasant as possible: Aromatic soaps and lotions can be pleasing and calming. Try soap-free products such as St. Ives body wash and lotion or Aveeno’s body wash product. Both products were soap-free and clean the skin without drying it our. Place some fragrant oil or lotion in a sink of warm water and rub on them after the shower. Relaxing music and somewhat dimmed lighting can reduce the harshness of the bathroom. Shampooing hair is often a special challenge. Try to shampoo with a small amount of the product and keep the water pressure low, being careful not to get water in the person’s face. A no-rinse shampoo can remove one step and still do a satisfactory job.
10) When all else fails: Sometimes no matter how much you try or what you do, bath time is a total disaster. Don’t feel that this is a failure on your part! Most dementia caregivers experience difficulty with bathing at some time in the disease. Picking your fights is important and insisting on a shower is not needed. The stage the Loved One is in will change and you will be able to get them into a shower in a different stage. Sponge bathing can do as well as a shower. Try giving a sponge bath in a different room. Many times the bed room is a better place for the Loved One. Let them do most of what they can do with a sponge bath and then you just help with the areas they can not do. Not taking a shower will not kill them. You mainly want to keep the private areas clean, wash the face, hands and feet. Don't make bathing into a struggle. Get what you can and try again another day or time.
www.ec-online.net
1) A shower is generally easier and safer than a bath: Giving a person a shower instead of trying to lower them into and lift them out of a bathtub full of water is generally easier to manage. It is also considerably safer. Getting a wet person out of a slippery tub puts both of you at risk for injury.
2) Hand-held shower head: Equipping the shower with a hand held shower head can help to ease your loved one’s fear and prevent some of the struggle. The water coming down from a regular shower head on a person’s head can set them up for a panicked response. Most hand-held shower heads also have an on and off switch so you can have to water running only when you want. Be sure to get one that you can have some control on the flow of water coming from it as slowing the water down when washing the hair and other more sensitive areas is advisable.
3) Have a shower chair: Sitting your loved one down on a shower chair can help make them feel more secure and helps you to wash them more effectively. The chair helps to stabilize the person being washed and gives both of you something to hold onto.
4) Rails in the shower: Having strong and secure handrails in the shower that both of you can hold onto while maneuvering in the shower area. The rails also give the caregiver something solid to hold onto while washing.
5 Anti-skid decals and mats on the floor of the shower: Small rubber anti-skid decorations can be used as a substitute for the rubber mat. The mat covers a larger area but is generally raised and can be a tripping point.
6) Prepare the bathing area ahead of time: It really helps to have everything all set up for a bath ahead of time. That way once you can quickly move your loved one into the area without having to pause to get things ready. It is a good idea to make the bathroom warmer and test the water temperature ahead of time.
7) Respect your loved one’s privacy: Sitting nude in the shower with someone makes a person feel vulnerable and perhaps violated, even when they are a close family member. This is even true when the caregiver is a loved spouse of many years. Wrapping a towel around your loved one or even leaving their underwear on can help make them feel less violated. You may give your loved one a washcloth and verbally direct her to wash her more private areas. Don’t get preoccupied with getting it done "perfectly." There should be enough water flow that the areas were sufficiently washed even without a thorough scrubbing. Stay in direct sight while washing the individual.
8) Keep the stimulation to a minimum: Bathrooms are generally small areas with a lot of things going on: running water, echoes, soapy wash cloths, differences in temperature, and strange people. Mirrors make it look as if there is a whole crowd in the room just watching them in the nude. Covering the mirror on the medicine cabinet may reduce the feeling of "being watched." Keeping the sink and toilet free of objects may also help. Avoid slippery throw rugs and mats.
9) Make bathing as pleasant as possible: Aromatic soaps and lotions can be pleasing and calming. Try soap-free products such as St. Ives body wash and lotion or Aveeno’s body wash product. Both products were soap-free and clean the skin without drying it our. Place some fragrant oil or lotion in a sink of warm water and rub on them after the shower. Relaxing music and somewhat dimmed lighting can reduce the harshness of the bathroom. Shampooing hair is often a special challenge. Try to shampoo with a small amount of the product and keep the water pressure low, being careful not to get water in the person’s face. A no-rinse shampoo can remove one step and still do a satisfactory job.
10) When all else fails: Sometimes no matter how much you try or what you do, bath time is a total disaster. Don’t feel that this is a failure on your part! Most dementia caregivers experience difficulty with bathing at some time in the disease. Picking your fights is important and insisting on a shower is not needed. The stage the Loved One is in will change and you will be able to get them into a shower in a different stage. Sponge bathing can do as well as a shower. Try giving a sponge bath in a different room. Many times the bed room is a better place for the Loved One. Let them do most of what they can do with a sponge bath and then you just help with the areas they can not do. Not taking a shower will not kill them. You mainly want to keep the private areas clean, wash the face, hands and feet. Don't make bathing into a struggle. Get what you can and try again another day or time.
www.ec-online.net
Bathing With Essential Oils From Herbs
Imagine your self floating in a gigantic bathtub full of herbs hugging your skin; its magical powers take away your tensions, worries and transforming you to feel complete and new.
Bath is calming way to relax in today’s fast paced stressful life. It is a soothing way to start a new day and blissful send-off to bed. Herbs and its essential oils soothes aching muscles, tense nerves, skin irritations, softens skin and ensures peaches and roses complexion.
Set the stage for your bath with a clean fresh bathroom. Keep clean towels, bath gels, herbs, loofah, etc handy. Choose relaxing music, light aromatic candles around you. All in all make sure that everything you need for your luxury is within arms reach.
While filling tub with warm water, create a bag of your favourite herbs to be used in bathing. It is ideal that you give your skin a quick loofah brush head to toe before you start. To create an herb bag, fill muslin cloth or even an old stocking with your favourite herbs. Dip it in your bath, letting the herbs gently soak in the water. Bath salts, citrus leaves, dried rose petals, dried lavender flowers to name a few to create an herb bag. If you don’t have the fondness of creating your own bag of herbs, you can definitely buy ready made herb bags.
Not more than 5 drops of essential oils should be used in a bath. Dilute it with milk or carrier oil. Common herbs and its essential oils used in bath for calming properties.
- Black Pepper – relief for aching muscles
- Clary Sage - as a perk me up and premenstrual tension
- Eucalyptus - for respiratory problems
- Geranium - for very dry or itchy skin, eczema and PMS
- Jasmine - when you wish to feel luxurious
- Lavender - dry skin, eczema, sprains, hot flashes, headaches, over work, insomnia
- Orange - to pep you up
- Rosemary - to get you going in the morning, a quick pick-me-up in the evening. Also good for aches and sore muscles
- Chamomile, Lavender or roses are good for dry, delicate or irritated skin
- Rosemary, Calendula and Thyme for oily skin
- Lemon Balm - good for hyperactive children
- Citrus & Lavender - soothing and therapeutic properties
- Ylang Ylang - exfoliates and moisturizes the skin
- Apricot and Amber - moisturises, restores softness and suppleness to skin
- Chamomile - aids in relief of aching muscles and nervousness
- Eucalyptus - opens the pores and the vapours from the bath help to clear the breathing passages.
Make sure that your bath time is a time of solitude. Just let yourself luxuriate in the watery haven. And don’t forget to put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door.
Kevin Pederson manages aromatherapies sites providing Aromatherapy recipes for skin care, beauty and hygiene, emotional and physical well-being. The aromatherapy oils make useful moisturizers having good penetrative properties.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)