Haircare in small Care Home

[Tilly13]

Hello
Can I ask if anyone could please tell me their experiences and advise around hair care in a small Care Home.
Mum is in a privately run Care Home with 12 other residents she has Mixed Dementia ( Alz /Vas )
The staff provide personal care and Mum has her hair washed but no one seems to style
it afterwards.
There are no hairdressing facilities in the home.
I was told a hairdresser visits when Mum went into the home 6 months ago but nothing yet ...... and Mum is really needing a hair cut now and I feel would benefit from the pampering.

What has anyone else in a small Care Home found seems to happen ? Has a hairdresser come in and how do they make arrangements for washing hair with no basins?

Obviously i can chat with the Home and ask when they plan to organise a visiting hairdresser and also I could arrange one myself to visit but I just wanted to find out how others have dealt with this please?
Thanks

 

[northumbrian_k]

Hi @Tilly13 , my wife is in a small care home. Prior to Covid restrictions a hairdresser used to visit. Between us we decided that trying to get my wife to sit still in order to colour her hair was now impossible. Her own hair colour grew through quite quickly and was a great improvement.

During Covid restrictions her hair grew long, although staff did trim her fringe. A different visiting hairdresser now comes to the home. She restored my wife's bob and I am very pleased with the result. The
hairdressing lady is very professional and much cheaper than the one I used to use when my wife was living at home.

My experience has been good. I have sometimes timed my visits to coincide with the hairdressing days, but don't always know when they are due. Between them the staff and visiting hairdresser seem to know what suits my wife. In between hairdressing appointments she gets her hair washed whenever she has a bath. This is more frequent now that she is more accepting of personal care.

 

[Tilly13]

Hello @northumbrian_k
Thank you for your reply and info all about how hairdressing has worked out for your wife . It must be great that she is more accepting of personal care now too. Like you I talk with the Care Home staff about what we can do - I know my Mum was always very particular about having her hair cut and styled and feel sure that she will benefit again as I'm sure your wife has too.

Can I ask do you know how the visiting hairdresser washes your wifes hair as my Mums Care Home has no specialised basins only the regular bathrooms?

 

[jennifer1967]

the hairdresser used spray taps that fit onto normal taps. she used the residents own room hand basin when i was there.

 

[northumbrian_k]

I think that a washbasin in the bathroom is used but I don't know what it is like

 

[Tilly13]

thank you for your replies @northumbrian_k and @jennifer1967

 

[Chaplin]

Although my mum is in the advanced stage of dementia, having her hair washed and set regularly is really important to her and lifts her mood. Her care home did have an in house hairdresser until recently and it’s been a little hit and miss. Some external hair dressers keep letting the home down. I agree with you, a little pamper time is good for their well-being.

I did say to the home recently if they cannot get a regular hairdresser in doing mum’s hair weekly we would send in our own! Since then it appears to be more regular!

 

[Tilly13]

Thanks @Chaplin
Yes i am inclined to look at offering our own hairdresser