If you are like many people, washing your hair is something that you do not think about very often. It is such a simple and routine part of your daily life, you likely take it for granted. If you are a family caregiver for an aging parent, however, you may have found that the challenges and limitations that they face make this task not a simple and accessible for them. If your parent is recovering from a recent surgery or suffering a health condition that keeps them from being able to get out of bed or out of a wheelchair frequently, they may not be able to bathe or shower as regularly as they once did. This can leave them unable to wash their hair. Not being able to keep their hair clean can lead to physical health issues as well as mental and emotional well-being problems.
Fortunately there are tools available that can help you to keep your aging parent's hair clean even when they are not able to bathe regularly.
Some tools are available to help keep your parent's hair clean when they cannot bathe regularly include:
- Shampoo caps that look like conventional shower caps but contain shampoo and are pre-moistened. These allow you to put the cap on your parent's head, massage the product into their scalp, and then let their hair air-dry.
- Movable sinks that enable you to attach a hose from your conventional sink or bathtub to the movable sink and then bring the sink into the room with your parent. They can then rest their head on the edge and allow you to wash their hair.
- Mechanical lift that attach to a tub so you can help your parent sit and then swivel them into the tub to use a handheld shower head to wash their hair.
If you have been considering ways to enhance your aging parent's quality of life, support a more fulfilling lifestyle, and help them to remain as healthy as possible throughout their later years, now may be the ideal time for you to start elder care for them. An elderly home care services provider can create a highly personalized set of services tailored towards your parents individual needs, challenges, and limitations. Through these services the care provider will help your parent manage their needs in the way that is right for them while also supporting a lifestyle that is as independent and fulfilling as possible. This means that your parent can stay happy, healthy, safe, and comfortable, while also remaining compliant with their medications and other guidelines from their doctor, keep their mind stimulated and healthy, and engage with the world around them as much as possible. As their family caregiver this can give you tremendous peace of mind knowing that your parents are in the best hands both when you are with them and when you are not.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring elder care in Wexford, PA, please call the caring staff at Home Helpers. Call today (412) 385-4286.
