bath time and alzheimer's

[kossaf]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any suggestions or tips on how to bathe a resident having alzheimer's (stage 3). The resident gets aggressif (yelling, pitching,...) during bath time (mostly because she is cold even though the heat is on and I let the hot water run for a while before getting her into the bathroom.

Thank you:loveya:

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

Dougherly, J. (2003). Techniques for bathing without a battle. Home Healthcare Nurse, 21(1), 38-39.

Providing personal care to persons with dementia (PWD), particularly bathing, can be a challenge. The PWD will sometimes fight, kick, scream, bite, or swear. Although most clinicians call this "resistiveness to care," the PWD is telling the caregiver, "No, please don't do this to me." With the caregiver persisting the only recourse is to fight. Rader & Barrick (2000) describe this behavior as "self-protective." Using the strategies below, a pleasurable bathing experience can likely occur...

Rethink the bathing experience to make it comfortable and pleasurable...

Approach techniques can set the context for the bathing experience....

Have the room ready. The room should be warm and low lit...

Begin bathing in the least sensitive area first!...

Save washing the hair until last or consider washing the hair at a separate time....

Distraction techniques such as music or singing old familiar songs can lighten the mood...

Consider a towel bath for those whom the above strategies are not successful...