Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine yourself like this: You’ve spent most of your life taking care of and helping others – as a parent, in your occupation, through volunteering in your neighborhood, and as a grandparent. After all that time spent living independently and being in control of all of your decisions, you have suddenly aged to the point that you actually are now the person in need of help with taking a bath and other personal care for seniors. Consider the sense of loss, vulnerability, and fear.
If you’re providing care for a senior loved one, it can help to place yourself in his/her shoes when experiencing challenges related to helping the person with personal hygiene tasks. The struggles your senior family member is feeling are real, and a little empathy and patience can go a long way towards fostering a sense of peace about accepting your help. Let’s face it: allowing someone to help with such personal needs as getting dressed, taking a bath, and using the bathroom is awkward at best, and may feel as though dignity is ripped right away from the person if not managed sensitively.
At Happier Home Care, we understand these challenges, and advise keeping the SMILE approach in mind to help these sensitive circumstances feel more comfortable for both you and your older family member:
Safety: Adaptive equipment like grab bars, electric razors, a bathtub seat, and a handheld shower can be beneficial.
Modesty: Make sure there is privacy in the room and protect modesty as much as possible.
Independence: Allow older adults to maintain the ability to make choices, to express their own individual style, and to do as much as they are able to independently.
Levity: Be accepting of imperfection. Make it fun.
Etiquette: Treat the individual with dignity, as a respected adult.
Happier Home Care’s trained, experienced home care specialists provide respectful help with personal care for seniors. Our caregivers are compassionate, fully trained, and background checked – so you have peace of mind in knowing that your senior loved one is always safe and secure in our care. Just a few of the various ways we can help include:
- Bathing, dressing and other personal care assistance
- Light household chores and laundry
- Planning and preparing meals
- Transportation and accompaniment on errands, appointments, and fun activities
- Mobility assistance
- And so much more – adapted to each person’s particular needs
Contact us online or call 818-651-6679 to request a free in-home assessment and to learn more about how we can help make life easier and more comfortable for your senior loved one with our customized home care in Pasadena and the surrounding areas.