Handwashing... help please :)

[Lisa74]

My Granny lives in our house (I'm in my twenties so am joint carer for her and my parents work long hours) and her ability to function is slowly deteriorating due to Vascular Dementia. She has very few lucid moments these days, has issues with continence and struggles with routine actions (e.g. unlocking the bathroom door, getting dressed, brushing her hair if handed a brush etc.).

Just now she got up from her afternoon nap (naps are wonderful, wonderful things!!! [which often take a loooot of effort to instigate]) to go to the bathroom but came out with her hands covered in wet toilet paper. I asked her to wash her hands but she couldn't really do it so I worked up some soap foam and washed her hands with her (like you would do with a 2 year old).

I'm just wondering what everyone does to maintain their relative's hand hygiene? We're lucky I guess in that my Granny used to be a very hygienic lady who always washed her hands after using the toilet, before eating and after doing other unhygienic things (e.g. feeding the pets, taking out the bins etc.). I was wondering if anyone has found a foaming soap that doesn't irritate the skin? Perhaps if she uses something that she doesn't need a lot of energy to rub in that would work better!

 

[jeany123]

Would liquid soap be any good or did you mean a bar,
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=274067766

 

[marionq]

My husband has very sensitive skin so I only buy Simple products usually from B###s. These are inexpensive and have no perfume. You can get ordinary soap or liquid soap.

 

[Lisa74]

Thank you, Simple soap might be an idea. We have liquid soap/carex downstairs, which she copes better with than the soap bar upstairs but I was considering foaming soap (one that foams instantly when dispensed e.g they used to do a children's soap called 'Kandoo', which foamed without being worked into a foam but stopped making it!) because it would give her hands a good coating of soap and help to wash off any nasties without her putting too much effort in to handwashing.

I'm a bit worried that I'm going to have to start washing her hands with her each time. My Mum does her shower twice a week but I'm not good with the continence and handwashing issues when she's at work!

 

[jeany123]

The Tesco one I put in the post above is foam when it comes out,


Directions:
Press pump to dispense foam. Massage onto wet hands and rinse.

 

[Lisa74]

Perfect

Oh Jeany, just looked at your link- that soap looks perfect

Thank you!

 

[nitram]

"...struggles with routine actions (e.g. unlocking the bathroom door..."

If the locked door cannot be unlocked by a coin or similar from the outside take steps to prevent the door being locked or fit a new lock, mine was a small bolt that I simply removed.
Panic from being 'locked in' will only increase the confusion and make it more difficult to sort out what to do.

 

[Bay]

You could also use a dispenser like this for your choice of liquid soap:

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/p23872/Cuisipro-Foam-Pump-Dispenser

or even this electronic dispenser (not cheap!)

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/23773/simplehuman-Compact-White-Sensor-Pump-

 

[garnuft]

In dire emergencies (when my adult disabled son REFUSES to wash his hands) I use a hand sanitizer, the sort they use in hospital wards...
Quick squirt and a rub around, quick dry... dries before the argument about having your hands washed has begun and just a vague hope in my heart that SOME of the germs have been exterminated.
I get mine from Tesco. And an anti-bacterial spray for handles, knobs, grabs, seats, arm rests, computer mouse, light switches...the whole house really.

 

[garnuft]

P.S. I have a 'thing' about bars of soap...all those germs being shared by everyone who uses it

Liquid soap and sanitizer...saves my sanity!

 

[Kate and jack]

Wet ones !!! Antibacterial wipes ect , quick ,easy and you know if you wipe her hands you know there clean .

 

[velocity]

Garnuft Kate and Jack I absolutely agree I'd be lost without them there great and quick.
V xx

 

[Beate]

Hand washing - what was that again?

 

[love.dad.but..]

Dad lost the understanding of why he had to wash hands after toilet and refused to wash hands even if I tried to demonstrate actions or help.....anti bac wet wipes a godsend! Happily used them although needed prompt each time. Better than nothing though which is the stalemate we had reached.

 

[jeany123]

Dad lost the understanding of why he had to wash hands after toilet and refused to wash hands even if I tried to demonstrate actions or help.....anti bac wet wipes a godsend! Happily used them although needed prompt each time. Better than nothing though which is the stalemate we had reached.

When I give Allen his glucose check in his finger for his diabetes on a morning and teatime I hand him a antiseptic wipe and he wipes his hands, so if ever I hear him come out of the toilet with out washing his hands instead of making a fuss I just hand him a wipe and he uses it automatically,

 

[Witzend]

I get mine from Tesco. And an anti-bacterial spray for handles, knobs, grabs, seats, arm rests, computer mouse, light switches...the whole house really.

Shouldn't think you need to worry much about germs in your house then, Garnuft - should imagine any unfortunate enough to get trodden in will commit mass suicide on the spot.

 

[garnuft]

Shouldn't think you need to worry much about germs in your house then, Garnuft - should imagine any unfortunate enough to get trodden in will commit mass suicide on the spot.

I don't.

 

[Lisa74]

Thanks everyone!

I have obsessive compulsive disorder (the illness, not "a bit OCD") so the continence and hygiene issues bother me! (e.g. when I went to the bathroom first thing this morning Granny had left little droppings on the floor and on the carpet outside).

When we leave the house I put anti-viral foaming hand sanitizer on my Gran's hands so that she doesn't catch norovirus (big fear for me!) or any other nasty viruses but I'm more relaxed in the house these days, it's just that she needs to wash her hands after using the loo. I'll maybe keep some anti-bac gel and wet wipes in the house just in case!