Hi - my mum rarely changes her clothes or washes, if at all. The main issue is not that she so much refuses, but that she completely believes she showers daily and her clothes are clean. Why wash and change - she's done it already - makes total sense in her mind! I've looked at the guidance and tried a few things, new clothes and trying them on seems to work best. Does anyone else have someone who has no insight and believes they are fine looking after themselves ? if so, how did you deal with it?
Changing clothes and washing
- Thread starter Caringfromadistance
- Start date
Welcome to the forum @Caringfromadistance
Yes, I had this with my dad. I lived close to dad so I’d get there early and manage to persuade him to shower and change if we had somewhere nice to go (e.g. pub lunch).
I’m guessing, by your name, that you can’t do this yourself every few days but would it be possible to arrange for someone else to when you’re not around?
Yes, I had this with my dad. I lived close to dad so I’d get there early and manage to persuade him to shower and change if we had somewhere nice to go (e.g. pub lunch).
I’m guessing, by your name, that you can’t do this yourself every few days but would it be possible to arrange for someone else to when you’re not around?
Hi Bunpoots - yes unfortunately I only get down to see my mum a few days a month. We do have carers going in and they try to encourage but get the same responses - that she showers at night before bed etc I dread to think what's going on with her underwear - i never see any washing (although she thinks she does it) and when I look in her room to collect it myself I can never find any - it's a worry
Im afraid that this is really common. My mum lost insight too - she thought she did all her own shopping, cooking, housework and laundry as well as showering and changing her clothes every day. In reality she did none of this.
Could the carers sell it as a pamper session with a nice bubble bath? I realise you’d probably have to book extra time for this but it might be worth it once a week…?
Thank you - it's nice to know it's common - sometimes when I talk to carers and social services I wonder if they understand dementia at all!
I have exactly the same thing, insists she washes her hair regularly and doesn't use the bath but insists that she washes at the sink. However no changes of clothes etc. Following the replies for advice too.
Hi - we have the same conversations as well. My Dad puts things in the wash whenever he finds them in her room, which is rare, but she also thinks she washes at the sink every day and thinks she regularly washes her hair when in fact I think it only gets done at the hairdresser. They don't have a bath so they can't try the bubble bath pamper thing. It definitely seems like we are all seeing the same things. I would also love an answer to this!
