Hygiene issues

[Christopher R]

Hi. I'm new to this. I have a sister who has Alzheimer's since first diagnosed in 2020ish. However recently she has become very reclusive and her personal hygiene is a big issue. She has taken to refusing to wear the incontinence pants saying she doesn't need them. There are other issues but I feel that this is the pressing problem.
Any thoughts please.

 

[Louise7]

Hello @Christopher R and welcome to the Dementia Support Forum. Hygiene can become a problem as dementia progresses and it's not always easy to deal with. Does your sister have any carers or other help coming in who could help her with dressing, washing etc? She may be reluctant to accept help but sometimes people respond better when receiving care from a 'professional' rather than a family member. Does anyone have power of attorney for your sister and would be able to arrange some help for her? Perhaps consider contacting her local social services adult care team to let them know about your concerns and to request a care needs assessment to see what help they could offer. Details here:

The care needs assessment: support for people with dementia

This page looks at how a person with dementia can get a care assessment, who does an assessment, how they are carried out, who makes the decision, and tips for making the most of the care needs assessment. It also explains the eligibility criteria.

www.alzheimers.org.uk

This is a friendly and supportive place with a lot of shared experience so others may be along with other suggestions too as this is a fairly common problem.