Welcome to my series on practical ways to help the elderly. You can read the introduction here.
This is the 3rd article in the series of ways to help the elderly live better.
There are a number of reasons, the elderly may let personal hygiene slip
- Depression and Loneliness
- Loneliness
- Chronic Pain
- Financial difficulties
- They have always had a partner to look after them
All of the above are very valid reasons and here are some suggestions as to how you can help the elderly in your family or community maintain personal hygiene and their dignity.
1. Depression and Loneliness
Depression and loneliness can feed off each other. When you are depressed, you don’t want to do anything and people struggle to be with you as you drag them down into your misery pit. Chronic Depression is a medical condition and usually needs to be treated with medication and/or counselling.
When you are depressed and lonely, you may ignore personal hygiene. It is too much effort to shower, do your laundry or brush your teeth. Nothing matters anymore.
Don’t try and “jolly” someone out of their depression and don’t tell them they are being silly. Depression is real and needs to be treated.
If possible, help them to get to a doctor or psychologist who can assess them. If they don’t have medical aid, help them get to the local municipal clinic who will refer them to the appropriate department at a state hospital.
Alternatively contact your local SADAG organisation. 24-HOUR TOLL-FREE EMERGENCY HELPLINES Suicide Crisis Helpline 0800 567 567 Department of Social Development Substance Abuse Helpline 0800 12 13 14 SMS 32312.
If they are living in a senior citizens facility, and activities are offered, you can try to encourage them to participate. However, they might not fit in so don’t force them to.
Try and get them out of their room and take them for a cup of coffee or a meal. Many pensioners seldom leave their homes and their worlds are very limited.
If you are able to visit, find an article on a topic they are interested in and print it out for them to read. A number of years ago, I had a delightful neighbour who was 90. She had macular degeneration. Several evenings a week, I would find something interesting on the internet and read it to her and discuss it, while we had a glass of sherry.
2. Living with chronic pain
Pain is very debilitating.
Does the elderly person have a shower that they can use? Are there grab rails and a shower seat? The elderly person may need help to wash their hair and their feet. It is very likely that they can no longer cut their toe nails. becomes impossible.
Arrange for some one to come in and do a weekly hair wash and a monthly pedicure. A massage will do wonders for their mood and hopefully relieve their pain for a short time..
3. Financial Difficulties
Most pensioners are struggling to survive with decreasing pensions, state grants and ever increasing costs. .
Toiletries come after rent and food. Help the elderly to maintain better personal hygiene by provide a monthly toiletries pack with soap, toothpaste, deodrant, face cloths, shampoo, body lotion, razors, shaving cream, loo paper, tissues, sun screen etc.
Oh the indignity of ageing. Incontinence and bowel problems. If your family member is battling ensure that they have adult diapers or pads. These are expensive and the humiliation when you are caught short is horrible. If they are using these sanitary items make sure they have a suitable sanitation bin to dispose of the used items.
Help the women to look and feel beautiful by treating them to the occasional visit to the beauty salon to have their nails done, or buy them them their favourite lipstick or makeup.
4. They have always had a partner to look after them
This usually, but not always applies to men. They have been in traditional relationships where the man went out to work and the woman took care of the home. If the wife passes away first, the husband has to suddenly manage on his own.
Clean clothes and bed linen magically appeared on a regular basis. Dishes were washed, meals prepared and floors cleaned and rooms dusted. These magic tricks no longer exist.
The easiest solution is to hire a cleaner or cleaning service once a month to deep clean. Where we live, there are a few domestics who work a few hours for different residents. Some work weekly, some every second week and some monthly. It works well.
If there isn't a washing machine, schedule trips to a laundromat every 2 weeks.
5. Reminders on their phones
Help them to set up reminders on their phones. Even if their memory is not too bad, they may avoid doing certain things due to depression. You can usually set different alarm tones for the different tasks.
Here are some ideas:
Daily reminders
Clean teeth
Wash dishes
Shower
Weekly reminders
Clean out the fridge, veggie rack and bread bin and dispose of rotten food
Put out the garbage for collection
Clean the shower
Monthly reminders
Sweep the floors
Dust the furniture
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