Senior Hygiene Is A Foundation Of Health And Wellbeing
Senior hygiene is a foundation for health and well-being and includes everything from regular showers/baths, teeth brushing, daily changes of underwear and clothing, linen changes, and basic housekeeping. Without these fundamentals, seniors are at risk for infections, illnesses, and trip and fall accidents.
Plus, a decline in hygiene practices is also one of the key red flags that a senior loved one needs more support to age in place independently in their home.
Addressing Declines In Aging Loved Ones’ Hygiene & Self-Care
While it might not be an easy topic to broach, addressing any signs of decline in a parent’s, grandparent's, or neighbor’s hygiene is essential. In addition to being a significant sign that they need more support (or that something else may be amiss), their health is in jeopardy.
What Constitutes Senior Hygiene?
In general, the term hygiene refers to “...conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially through cleanliness” (Oxford Dictionary).
As professional senior caregivers, we take a holistic and big-picture approach to hygiene, including housekeeping as well as personal care steps. So, for us, an assessment of a client’s cleanliness or hygiene includes things like:
- Regular showering or bathing.
- Daily teeth brushing.
- Brushed or combed hair.
- Clean laundry, bed linens, and towels.
- Changing clothes (including underwear) every day.
- The ability to get to the bathroom or practice hygienic continence care.
- Clean and clipped/filed finger and toenails.
- A generally picked up and clean home.
It’s time to have a gentle conversation if any of these are lacking.
Poor Hygiene Puts Seniors At Risk
Again, we understand this isn’t always an easy conversation, but it’s necessary. Here are some of the risks associated with poor senior hygiene or personal care:
Dementia or some other cause of cognitive decline
If there isn’t a diagnosis already, a noticeable slip in personal hygiene may indicate that your loved one has dementia or another type of cognitive decline. If that is the case, in-home care is a must to keep your loved ones safe and healthy at home.
Within the mental health umbrella, a lack of personal hygiene could also be a sign that the individual is experiencing depression or greater-than-normal anxiety, both of which can keep them from performing normal daily routines.
Urinary tract and other infections
Seniors are at high risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to their age, compromised immune systems, and their tendency towards dehydration. Unlike UTIs in children and adults under the age of 55, UTIs in seniors can be asymptomatic. This means they can harbor an infection that becomes far more serious than it needs to be, putting them at risk for kidney infection. Additionally, they may exhibit signs of memory loss or unusual behaviors that mimic dementia. As you can imagine, any issues with incontinence also make hygiene a top priority.
Skin infections are another severe threat because our skin thins as we age. Even very small cuts, abrasions, or breaks in the skin, combined with poor hygiene, opens the door for staph and other infections to establish themselves. If the senior is fairly sedentary or bed-bound, bed sores are a risk and can lead to systemic infections without proper care.
Keeping their environment, underwear, and clothing clean helps to prevent unnecessary infections.
General or foodborne illnesses
A dirty environment becomes a hotbed for bacteria and viruses, making seniors vulnerable to general infections. Any adult who struggles to clean their home or take care of daily hygiene routines probably struggles to run errands or keep fresh or healthy foods in the refrigerator and pantry. This can lead them to eat rotten or spoiled food, which can cause food poisoning or other foodborne illnesses.
Trip and fall accidents
When senior hygiene slips, so does housekeeping. If your parent isn’t taking care of their body as they used to, odds are they’re not keeping the house tidy or clean either. Trip and fall accidents are a leading cause of hospitalization and surgery in adults 55+, and those accidents are often the catalyst for a downward turn in physical, mental, and independent abilities.
Providing light housekeeping to keep the home decluttered and clean is a simple way to minimize fall risk and keep loved ones safe.
Social isolation
Barring cognitive decline, most adults who struggle to handle daily hygiene needs become highly self-conscious of their appearance and smell. This can lead to social isolation because they are embarrassed to have people over or to get together with their friends or social peers.
Study after study shows that social engagement is essential for our emotional and mental well-being, which is even more critical for those living alone. When seniors spend time with those they love, they are far more prone to depression and anxiety. Medical experts also see an uptick in medical issues or a faster progression of their diseases when they begin withdrawing from the outside world.
In-Home Care Prioritizes Senior Hygiene & Wellbeing For Aging Loved Ones
Organizing in-home care is a smart way to ensure that your loved one feels clean and fresh every day and is living in a hygienic environment.
Step One: Have the conversation
First, it’s time to bring the subject up in a very gentle and curious way. It can start out something like, “I notice you were wearing that same outfit when we video chatted the other day,” or, “Your house always used to be so clean and neat, and I see things are changing…”
- This can open up the door. However, you must respect their wishes as well. Make sure you take into account:
- Whether they prefer a family member or professional caregiver to fill in some of the gaps.
- Whether or not a family member is available, in which case starting out with a small dose of in-home care (like errand running, transportation services, housekeeping, or meal prep) can get them used to the situation.
- If they’d prefer someone of the same sex to help them with bathing, changing, incontinence care, and other aspects of personal hygiene.
In many cases, objective, third-party input is more effective than hearing concerns from children/grandchildren. Connect with your loved one’s primary physician to discuss your concerns and create a collaborative plan that honors the individual’s autonomy while supporting their health and
Step Two: Schedule in-home assessments with licensed caregivers
Licensed in-home care agencies are another objective, a third-party option that provides a clear assessment of the present situation. Most agencies offer free, in-home consultations. This allows them to meet with prospective clients and their families/caregivers.
You may find that your loved one opens up or answers your questions more honestly or directly than when you try to converse with them on your own.
Step Three: Create a scaled long-term care plan
If your loved one’s doctor and/or a caregiving team confirms what you've observed as a concern, it’s time to create a long-term care plan. Sometimes, an aging adult may concede they need support and move forward with what’s recommended.
In other cases, a scaled care plan is the best way forward. This allows the individual to adjust to a team of caregivers, starting with the most essential services first and gradually adding more as needed. Even something as simple as weekly visits can provide a significant amount of support via:
- Grocery shopping
- Meal prep
- Laundry and linen changes
- Light housekeeping
- Wellness checks
From there, we can add more days or services as needed, including:
- Companionship (reading, dancing, listening to music, conversation, supporting communication with family members, etc.)
- Weekly outings
- Bathing/showering
- General grooming support
- Incontinence care
- Medication management
Once clients get used to the rhythm, we’ve found they have no problem accepting increased support with every shift.
Support Senior Hygiene By Scheduling A Free In-Home Assessment
Is it time your aging loved one had more support taking care of their daily hygiene and wellness tasks? Take that first step by scheduling a free, in-home assessment with HomeAide Home Care. Our agency has provided compassionate, reliable support for seniors in the East Bay for more than 20 years.