I can't get my mom to bath or wash

blackb15

Registered User
Jan 17, 2015
23
0
I'm new to the site and this is my first post however I've been Sole career for my mum for nine years who has vascular dementia ,social workers and other carers are now involved. I cannot get my mum to bath or wash I read the help information but I'm spoke to others but I am unable to get her to bathe or wash having followed the advice, is any other advice anyone can give?
thanks
Paul
 
Last edited:

jaymor

Registered User
Jul 14, 2006
15,604
0
South Staffordshire
Hello Paul and welcome to TP.

Although my husband has lived with Alzheimers for coming up to 10 years fortunately this particular behaviour I have not dealt with. My only suggestion would be have you tried running the bath and offering your Mum a treat you know she will enjoy once she has had her bath. By not making it a question that she has to think about, make it a plain straightforward statement. My husband would have walked on hot coals for a slice of carrot cake and a cup of tea.

Sorry I can't offer much but I am sure others will be along soon to give you some ideas.

Look forward to you joining us.

Jay
 

blackb15

Registered User
Jan 17, 2015
23
0
Jay
Thanks very much for advice yes I have tried that and nothing seems to work she just says she will do it tomorrow and to stop upsetting her.
Thank again
Paul
 

sistermillicent

Registered User
Jan 30, 2009
2,949
0
I don't think there is one strategy that works for all, our way of dealing with this was to hustle and bustle mum one evening when she was in quite an ok mood, we referred to it as bath night, we were all going to have one and she could go first! We also discovered that she had a mental block against getting undressed for some reason and was wearing 6 pairs of knickers when we helped her. We were being all girls together...
This was after a LOT of trying and it was probably just pure luck that we managed it that day.
Keep going, it will work one day.
 

Maymab

Registered User
Oct 8, 2013
214
0
Staffs
Sounds as though it is time to get carers in to help with personal hygiene. Talk to Social services about it.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Talking Point mobile app
 

bluejag69

Registered User
Oct 3, 2014
67
0
Hi, it was a problem with dad , refusing help and refusing a wash. I ended up telling him we were goin up to wash his hair, then when we got in the bathroom I asked if he wanted it washed in the sink or under the shower. He said he didn't mind so I just told him what I was doin as we were goin along. He let me shower him. I don't think the carers tried very hard , I think they just asked him and of course he'd say no. But he looked like a homeless person.

Now I shower my mum once a week, she always kicks up a fuss, 'what am I getting in the shower for?' But I tell her she's not coming out with me if she doesn't . Its like talking to a toddler!

Unfortunately you can't force them to wash. Its so common.

Sorry I can't help any more, good luck xxx
 

Witzend

Registered User
Aug 29, 2007
4,283
0
SW London
I could never get my mother to have a shower, but then I couldn't face the inevitable tears and arguments. My sister, who lived much further away and couldn't visit nearly so often, was able to be much tougher. She simply wouldn't take no for an answer - it was, 'Come on - you NEED a shower - you smell!' (She did). And of course she very quickly forgot all the aggro afterwards.

I know this wouldn't work for everybody, though - at least my mother never started kicking or lashing out.
 

DEBSIWEBS

Registered User
Jan 18, 2015
1
0
I care 24hrs a day for my mum who has vascular dementia, and I have the same problem with her and water. She screams and lashes out, tells me I'm hurting her and that she hates me, the showering process is a total nightmare! Thankfully, I now have the input of social services and have a care package whereby someone comes in for an hour a day to attend to mum's personal needs. This is such a weight off my mind and now I feel I can carry on as carer for mum, whereas before I felt I was coming to the end of the road.
 

blackb15

Registered User
Jan 17, 2015
23
0
Thanks for help I tried some of the ideas today with no success,I have as I said involved social worker and careers but they have much less success then I have with my mom they cannot get here to eat let alone bathe .Its more worrying as her skin is getting worse.I don't think it's because she's scared of water I think it's more she just doesn't want to cooperate.Being forcible didn't seem to work
Paul
 

Lyndylou

Registered User
Dec 19, 2014
3
0
Surrey
I'm new to the site and this is my first post however I've been Sole career for my mum for nine years who has vascular dementia ,social workers and other carers are now involved. I cannot get my mum to bath or wash I read the help information but I'm spoke to others but I am unable to get her to bathe or wash having followed the advice, is any other advice anyone can give?
thanks
Paul
Hi blackb15, I am fairly new to this too! Have the same problem;it's reassuring to know that others have to deal with the same issues. My mum does not so much refuse but says she has done it... She truly thinks she has,and she thinks she has changed her undies too. I have thrown away so many knickers and worry about urine infections as we had that to contend with last year. I can sometimes persuade her if I get there early enough when she gets up but she refuses to let the carers help her. She always used to be so fussy about her appearance,she would gladly sit in her dressing gown all day now. I do wonder if some of the problem is mood?
 

blackb15

Registered User
Jan 17, 2015
23
0
Hi blackb15, I am fairly new to this too! Have the same problem;it's reassuring to know that others have to deal with the same issues. My mum does not so much refuse but says she has done it... She truly thinks she has,and she thinks she has changed her undies too. I have thrown away so many knickers and worry about urine infections as we had that to contend with last year. I can sometimes persuade her if I get there early enough when she gets up but she refuses to let the carers help her. She always used to be so fussy about her appearance,she would gladly sit in her dressing gown all day now. I do wonder if some of the problem is mood?
Thanks very much for your help I have tried most of the suggested ideas with still no success.I have now got a chiropodists appointment tomorrow which I think will be unsuccessful but I will try my best.
Thanks again
Paul
 

susy

Registered User
Jul 29, 2013
801
0
North East
Try a carer coming in would be my advice. They often won't be difficult for a "professional".
My mum can't get my dad in the shower, he protests and says he has already had one. However I approach things differently, I say right I'm going to shower you now, he just does as he is told. I take no prisoners and only ask closed questions.
It works for us, it won't work for everyone.
 

blackb15

Registered User
Jan 17, 2015
23
0
Try a carer coming in would be my advice. They often won't be difficult for a "professional".
My mum can't get my dad in the shower, he protests and says he has already had one. However I approach things differently, I say right I'm going to shower you now, he just does as he is told. I take no prisoners and only ask closed questions.
It works for us, it won't work for everyone.
Susy
Thanks but I have got professional careers coming in and they have much less success than myself .When I try to be forcible with my mom she always reacts very badly .
Cheers
Paul
 

Bod

Registered User
Aug 30, 2013
1,958
0
Have you tried different times of day?
My fathers care home found him to be more compliant in the mornings, evenings, no chance!
Good luck, its a case of trying all sorts of things, till one works, from bribery to orders, morning ,noon, or night.

Bod
Ps What works today, may fail next week, but what failed, may now work!
 

blackb15

Registered User
Jan 17, 2015
23
0
Have you tried different times of day?
My fathers care home found him to be more compliant in the mornings, evenings, no chance!
Good luck, its a case of trying all sorts of things, till one works, from bribery to orders, morning ,noon, or night.

Bod
Ps What works today, may fail next week, but what failed, may now work!

Bod
Thanks appreciated I will keep trying different things and try different professional careers /doctors.
Cheers
Paul
 

bunnies

Registered User
May 16, 2010
433
0
My relative, when faced with someone telling she was smelly and needed a wash, would reply rather sharply, 'well put something up your nose then!'. This from a person who before the illness was meticulous about cleanliness. It's hard to understand.
I think there was a lot of fear though. I found the very softly softly approach worked best - trying to get her used to having a flannel wash, just the hands and arms the first day, and then the next day a bit more of the body, just being very reassuring and matter of fact about it. You don't get them really well washed, but it's better than nothing!
 

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