Personal grooming for seniors is challenging for adults with dementia, and for their caregivers. Since many seniors in cognitive decline also experience bouts of incontinence, it is even more important for their caretakers to ensure that they are bathed and cleaned daily. In addition, people with dementia may forget to bathe on their own without reminders or may sometimes lash out at caregivers for reminding them to get clean, making bath time a fight. Or, if they do remember how to bathe themselves, they may not recall why its so important. Seniors living in an assisted living or memory care facility may balk at shower help because of privacy or modesty concerns.Reduce the struggle with your loved one by incorporating some of these caregiver tips into your daily shower or bath routine.Make Showers Part of Their Daily RoutineEstablishing a predictable routine is an important part of treating dementia and helping people with dementia enjoy a better quality of life. Bathing or showering may already be part of this routine, but if you or your loved ones caregivers are having difficulty getting your loved one to participate in bathing, it may be time to change how this activity is presented to them.Reprimanding an older adult for not bathing, scolding them, or shaming them isnt going to get the desired results. Its demeaning, and can often make them more resistant to showering, especially if they dont like their caregiver sometimes, people with dementia may provoke a disliked caregiver on purpose, and refusing to shower is one way they do so.Instead, take a positive approach with the unwilling bather. Schedule one of their favorite activities right after shower time, and offer rewards for getting in without a fight and thoroughly cleaning themselves.Prepare All Bathing Supplies in AdvanceIf your senior has a favorite towel, have that ready to go, hanging on the shower rod or by the tub. Learn what kind of body-cleaning tool, like a loofah, poof, washcloth, or sponge, and have that ready for them, too. Smell is a powerful memory tool, so its important that the scent of whatever bath products and shampoo you use are soothing or brings back pleasant memories. Lavender is a soothing scent, for example.Seniors are more sensitive to water temperature and pressure than people of other ages, so ensure that the temperature and pressure of the water are comfortable. You may need to adjust the settings on your water heater or consider purchasing a showerhead with adjustable pressure and water flow. If the bathroom is colder than your senior would like, consider placing a small bathroom-safe space heater in the room, too. Warm towels straight from the dryer can be a warm, comforting option, as well. Place a couple of extra towels in the dryer before starting the shower so they are ready when you need them.Include your senior in buying shower and bath supplies. The two of you can look online for new, fluffy towels in their favorite color or go to the store to pick up shampoo and body wash. If your senior is able, you can make an adventure out of it, such as going to a smaller soap store and smelling different products or touching the different loofahs until they find something they like. If your loved one is involved in selecting their bathing supplies, they may be more amenable to showering.Work With Your Senior to Preserve as Much Independence and Modesty as PossibleEncourage your loved one to wash as much of themselves as possible and give them as much privacy as possible while doing so without compromising their safety. Shower accessories, like a grip on the floor or a shower chair, can help them bathe with less help from you.If your senior has significant cognitive decline or is mostly unable to bathe themselves, you can still involve them in their shower. Give them a washcloth to hold while you clean them it may make them feel as though they are doing something, reducing the chances that they will strike out while being washed.If you or a caregiver must do most of the cleaning for your senior, consider washing them in sections and covering the rest of their body with a towel while you wash each section. This can preserve their modesty and help keep them warmer.Install an Adjustable ShowerheadA showerhead with adjustable pressure and a detachable nozzle helps caregivers and seniors better bathe themselves. The nozzle provides greater targeted control over where the water goes, and the showerhead and nozzle can be adjusted to produce a bigger or smaller stream. Some showerheads have adjustable pressure, too, which can help lower the pressure to reduce the loud sounds that may upset some people with dementia. An adjustable showerhead also makes bathing in a shower chair easier.Installing an adjustable showerhead may be a better option than adjusting the building water heater for seniors who share a home with others, whether its their family or in an assisted living home. Sometimes, Supplemental Medicare plans to cover certain showering aids for those who otherwise could not bathe independently without them, so look at your loved ones coverage to see if they have a plan like this.Narrate Each Step of the ShowerNarrating each step of the shower adds to the predictability of the process for people with dementia or others who thrive on routine. Talk through the bathing process with your senior, stating what you will do and what they will do. This may spark a memory for some people in cognitive decline. They can participate more and give others more security in knowing what will come next.You may use the shower narration to encourage your senior to do each step themselves and only take over if they are unable or unwilling.ConclusionIf you are concerned about your loved ones ability to shower or bathe on their own, consult a senior living advisor in your area for help finding the right memory care or assisted living facility in helping them keep clean and take care of other personal care tasks and activities of daily living. Assisted Living Locators senior care advocates help families locate a good fit for a loved one who needs a little more help to care for themselves or those who cannot live independently.

Time and again, research shows that seniors who have a close group of friends tend to live longer than people who dont.Creating, nurturing, and maintaining friendships is hard in adulthood but the health benefits outweigh the potential stress that comes with fostering new relationships. Here are four health benefits of friendship for older adults:No More LonelinessLoneliness is a common feeling among seniors, even those in senior living facilities. Studies have revealed that 17% of seniors are in contact with friends, relatives, or neighbors once a week, with 11% in contact just once a month. In fact, millions of older adults say their television is their main form of company. And loneliness can have a big impact on a persons mental health and awareness.Cognitive AbilityOne of the most important benefits of friendship in older adults is it can boost your cognitive ability. Social interactions with other people stimulate the brain in an array of cognitive functions. Communication skills, for instance, are an integral part of successful relationships and you will keep your communication skills sharp by talking to your friends.Navigate TraumaEveryone experiences trauma, big or small, so its important to find healthy ways to navigate events such as illness, loss, grief, or divorce. Having a friend or two can help older adults cope with trauma, connect on similar issues, and heal.Be More ActiveFriends can also encourage each other to be more active! While you might not be inclined to take a daily walk normally, with the company of a friend, you might both start walking every day. It stops feeling like exercise and starts feeling like time to catch up with your friend. Friendships also increase a persons sense of belonging and purpose, an element thats extremely important for your mental health. The value friends bring to seniors is priceless, so next time you second-guess starting up a new relationship, think about all the benefits you will see from it!Editors Note: This article was submitted by Grace Manor at North Park. Visit www.GraceManorNorthPark.com for additional information or contact Cathy Himes, Executive Director, at 412-367-4722.

You noticed a bruise on Grandmas arm. It was just a little fall, she says. Maybe, but what about next time?According to the National Council on Aging, every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall, and every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.Even if someone isnt hurt when they fall, they may become afraid of falling, which can have a big impact on their life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found the fear of falling causes people to limit their activities and cut back on social engagement. When someone is less active, they become weaker, which increases their chances of falling.Its a common belief that falls are just a part of aging. Thats not necessarily true; many falls are preventable. A home safety check will evaluate all aspects of someones living conditions, where a trained representative will look at things such as:Are rugs and runners slip-resistant?Is there adequate lighting?Is a persons bed raised too high?Once the home has been evaluated, get suggestions on how to reduce fall risks. Recommendations may include installing a raised toilet seat, shower bench or grab bars in the bathroom, increasing the lighting, or removing rugs.During a fall risk assessment, a senior should be evaluated on factors, such as:History of fallsMobility issuesVisual impairmentCertain medicationsChronic conditionsIf someone is found to be at a high risk of falling, the person should take proactive measures to prevent a fall. This can include consulting a physical therapist for strengthening exercises, participating in a fall prevention program, talking with their physician about medication side effects; scheduling an eye exam; or contacting a medical equipment supplier for a walker, cane or another assistive device.Falls can be serious, especially for older adults. However, through lifestyle adjustments, home modifications and proactive approaches to care, fall risks can be reduced.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Michael Barron. Michael is the owner of ComForCare Home Care of NW Pittsburgh and may be reached at (724) 759-7674 or by email at mbarron@comforcare.com.

Elder law attorneys specialize in estate planning, incapacity planning, and/or end-of-life care for seniors. These practitioners are essential because they work to protect a vulnerable population. To plan for their future and their care, seniors and their families should consider hiring an elder law attorney.How Can an Elder Law Attorney Help My Aging Loved One?Having a plan for your aging loved ones care can relieve anxiety for you and the senior. Elder law attorneys can help their clients by providing some of the following services.Long-Term Care PlanningThe number of Americans living past age 65 has exponentially increased over the past few decades and will continue to grow over the next few years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there will be more than 80 million seniors in the U.S. by 2040. This increase requires more people to pay close attention to the need for long-term care planning.An elder law attorney can help seniors create a plan to pay for their care needs for the rest of their lives. Many seniors may worry about a lack of financial resources to pay for food, rent, medical care, and transportation in the years to come. Others hope to stay in their homes as they age but arent sure what the options may be for in-home care if it becomes necessary.An elder law attorney can help you create a customized plan for your needs and assist you in allocating money to pay for the essentials as you age. In addition, with expertise specific to elder law at the federal level and in your state, they can aid you in determining what public benefits you could qualify for, such as Medicaid and Medicare, and help you successfully apply for them.Estate Planning Document PreparationMost people contact an elder law attorney whose expertise includes estate planning when they need end-of-life documents drafted. Yet, it is smart to start estate planning when you are still healthy.Elder law attorneys may draft for their clients such documents as a last will and testament, health care directive, and power of attorney. By carefully crafting these documents, an attorney can help protect a seniors legal rights when it comes to their retirement benefits, estate administration, and medical decision-making authority.At the same time, having a comprehensive estate plan in place may not only ease the stress your family members encounter upon your passing, but also help them avoid any potential disputes regarding their inheritance.Create a Plan for IncapacityA related piece of the puzzle is incapacity planning. This could mean having an elder law attorney advise you on documenting your wishes for care at the end of your life, in the wake of a disability, or after a diagnosis of dementia.For instance, according to the Alzheimers Association, 6.7 million Americans aged 65 and older suffer with Alzheimers disease. As the senior population increases across the United States, the number of seniors with memory care needs will likewise increase.Because people with memory issues may reach a stage when they can no longer care for themselves, it is essential to have a plan in place for when a senior is incapacitated. An elder law attorney can assist seniors and their families as they try and protect the seniors financial and physical well-being as their condition progresses.Combating Elder Abuse and ExploitationSeniors who are victims of elder abuse, whether at the hands of a family member or in a long-term care facility, are protected by the law. Elder law attorneys know the rights of nursing home residents and seniors under guardianship, are familiar with the tools that can protect you and your assets, and can help you connect with other advocates.What to Look for in Elder Law AttorneysIt is vital to know what to look for when you are hiring an elder law attorney. You want to have the best partner helping you protect yourself or your loved one. Here are some tips when looking for an elder law attorney:Interview multiple attorneys.Ask each attorney you meet with about their experience in the area.Get a referral from a friend or search for a qualified elder law attorney in your area, like Sharek Law Office.Keeping your elderly loved ones safe is essential to supporting their care and protecting their legacy. Hiring an elder law attorney you trust can help you accomplish this and keep your parents, grandparents, or other aging relatives protected. Call our office at 412-347-1731 to schedule your free 15-minute introductory phone meeting today.  This article is a service of Sharek Law Office, LLC. We dont just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That's why we offer a Life and Legacy Planning Session, during which you will get more financially organized than youve ever been before, and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life and Legacy Planning Session and mention this article to find out how to get this $750 session at no charge. Please note this is educational content only and is not intended to act as legal advice.