We're out of ideas on how to handle this situation and I hope you can help us out.
We have a resident with Alzheimer's who is refusing to take showers. He can get very aggressive and will physically attack anyone who tries to talk to him about showering. The problem is that he's filthy and really smells bad. When he's incontinent of stool, he refuses to take his clothes off let alone shower. His wife becomes very agitated and starts screaming at the care staff, even going so far as to push them away.
We've tried everything from trying to talk to him, bribe him, even had several male care managers try in case he was too proud to allow a woman to bathe him but he still refused. We tried to talk to his family, but when they confronted the resident he insisted he did take a shower. They don't seem to want to get too involved.
Meanwhile he's very, very dirty and we're getting concerned for his health.
I work in a facility that frowns upon any form of restraint...either physical or chemical (meds). He does take low doses of antipsychotics and antianxiety meds.
I would appreciate ANY ideas you may have that would work. Anything that worked for you?
