Washing hair

Marnie63

Registered User
Dec 26, 2015
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Hampshire
Has anyone found a reasonable way to wash a mostly bed bound person's hair with shampoo and water? I have tried the shampoo caps and they don't really 'wash' the hair properly. I have also tried the flannel wash, wetting, shampooing, and then rinsing with a damp flannel, but all the rubbing resulted in a lot of hair loss, so I stopped that. Has anyone tried some other way, like lifting back, laying out towels and then washing normally over a bowl? I saw a small inflatable 'bowl' somewhere recently on line and thought that might work as it's soft to lean on, but it might collapse, flooding the bed!

Mum has had a good 8 months or so of 'improvement' after her stroke so I have been able to lean her over the bath in the wheelchair to wash her hair, but we are moving to more time in bed now due to increased weakness. I know a nice hair do is not a priority now, but I'd love to be able to wash it properly now and again.
 

Marnie63

Registered User
Dec 26, 2015
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Hampshire
Thanks Amanda, looks like a good combination. I still wonder how the inflatable thing might work, but I guess there's one way to find out!
 

Lavender45

Registered User
Jun 7, 2015
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Liverpool
Thanks Amanda, looks like a good combination. I still wonder how the inflatable thing might work, but I guess there's one way to find out!
There are a few on Amazon and looking at the reviews they seem pretty positive. They don't mention deflating or spilling. Definitely put plenty of towels down just in case! X
 

Toony Oony

Registered User
Jun 21, 2016
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Hi @Marnie63
If you search for 'Hair washing Tray' some of the care/mobility websites offer a hard plastic tray that funnels down at one side to drain. They also sell a portable shower (bit like a camping shower) that makes rinsing easier than jug and water, if the location is not near a sink.
On another thread, I mentioned Nilaqua which is a waterless shampoo and better rated than the shampoo caps. I've used it on Mum when she was having lots of dizzy spells and had difficulty with hairwashing. I wouldnt want to use it as a permanent solution, but it is a quick and easy option and did a good job at getting her hair clean and soft again.
 

nita

Registered User
Dec 30, 2011
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Essex
Hallo, @Marnie63 . I can confirm that the inflatable bowls do work. I had one for my mother in bed. You have to be careful that the tube is properly screwed in and put into a bucket to let the water out when you've finished. I put towels behind Mum's neck to stop her getting wet, took the pillow away from her to put the bowl flat on the bed. I must admit it needed two people really to do it easily. We used plastic jugs to pour warm water over her then shampooed, using the jugs to rinse. It was a bit of a fiddle getting the bowl away from under her when finished, which is why I drained it as much as I could first.

I bought one like this:-
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/NRS-Heal...78059&sr=8-3&keywords=inflatable+washing+bowl
 

Marnie63

Registered User
Dec 26, 2015
1,637
0
Hampshire
Thanks to everyone for your helpful replies and links! The inflatable thingy looks great, we could use a jug and water, at least she would get a proper wash. I'm holding off on ordering anything as I'm still waiting to see if the standing hoist may help us keep mum out of bed for a bit longer. No idea why it's taking so long, but it is. Still, I'm grateful they are sending one! I managed to get her to stand and transfer on the rotunda yesterday, but she seemed too weak for me to go for a hairwash over the bath. I may try tomorrow as the carer is here for a bit longer. Our physio came today and has given me some exercises to do in bed and on the side of the bed for mum, so I can't do any more than I am to keep her mobile for as long as possible. I hate this loss of mobility, such a hard thing to see someone lose something that we usually take for granted in lives. But, I know it's the illness, her weakness and her age, all in the mix now.

It's really good to know these items exist. I really hate seeing mum with greasy hair. I know we have to let some standards slip with dementia in our lives, but I will try to keep her hair nice for as long as possible!

I pulled a muscle somewhere in my back a few days ago, boy has it been painful. Today it's easing a little, thank God. The physio suggested I massage it and apply heat. It was really worrying me as had it got any worse, I would not be able to properly look after mum.