We often take daily tasks such as bathing and getting dressed for granted, but what happens if we begin to find these everyday activities difficult? Fortunately, personal care for the elderly at home is a widely available service that provides assistance with the day to day tasks of personal hygiene.
Mobility, stability, certain health conditions, and cognitive issues can all start to affect simple everyday activities we used to carry out without difficulty, making bathing, dressing, and even getting out of bed more challenging. By enlisting the help of a personal carer, individuals can maintain pride in their appearance and prepare for the day ahead with ease.
Home carers are experienced in how to do personal care for the elderly, sensitively assisting individuals with professionalism. For more information on live-in care, take a look at our informative live-in care guide.
What does personal care involve?
Personal care includes all the daily personal living tasks we have grown accustomed to carrying out for ourselves. However, as we age, these tasks may become more difficult to complete alone without additional support.
Support with personal care involves a carer helping an individual with these everyday tasks. For example, bathing may become more challenging for people with stability or mobility issues. If this is the case, a carer will help an individual bathe, minimising the risk of a fall or injury.
Personal care is essential for ensuring that daily activities are not neglected. If you notice that your loved one is having difficulty with tasks such as dressing themselves or doing laundry, as evidenced by rarely changing clothes or struggling to maintain personal hygiene, they may need assistance. Personal care services can address these issues with sensitivity and compassion.
Tips for supporting personal care
It is common as people grow older to experience a decline in attentiveness to their personal care and hygiene. In addition to seeking out assistance from a live-in carer, here are a few top tips to help encourage good personal care.
Safe bathroom
By ensuring that the bathroom is a safe space, your loved one will feel more confident being able to use it independently. Installing handrails, walk-in bathtubs, and non-slip mats can all help minimise the risk of slips and falls. Avoiding the use of bath oils is another top tip. Even for the most mobile, these slippery solutions pose a hazard on surfaces.
Routine
If your loved one forgets to carry out personal care tasks, it may be that establishing a regular routine around hygiene can help. Routine needn’t be tedious, a warm drink in bed with the newspaper before getting up can help individuals prepare for the day. Playing music or listening to the radio in the bathroom can also make bathing and personal hygiene tasks more enjoyable.
Personal preferences
Allowing individuals to have control over their appearance is important at all life stages. From the way they usually wear their hair to the fragrances they typically opt for in shower gels, soap, and other toiletries, personal preferences play a huge part in promoting good personal care.
Handle hygiene sensitively
It is important to broach issues with hygiene in a tactful way so as not to make an individual feel ashamed or embarrassed. Live-in carers are experienced in personal hygiene care for the elderly and can address the topic sensitively. Equally important is for individuals to feel comfortable dressing and undressing around a professional or family carer as this may not be something they are used to. However, live-in carers can reassure your loved one and calm any worries they may have.
How can a live-in carer help with personal care?
A live-in carer is in the best position to help with personal care as they are on hand to provide round the clock support. From the moment your loved one wakes up, a live-in carer starts their work to help them out of bed and prepare them for the day ahead. Once the day is over, a live-in carer can then help your loved one wash, get undressed, and ready for bed.
Here are the a few of the ways in which a live-in carer can help with personal care:
- Bathing – assistance getting in and out of the shower or bath, and help with washing their hair and body and drying themselves afterwards.
- Skincare – helping to implement a regular skincare routine in order to prevent and address skin issues.
- Dressing – preparing outfits for the day ahead and helping with dressing, fastening zips, buttons, and tying laces.
- Laundry – ensuring that there are clean clothes ready to wear and any worn clothes are separated for washing.
- Appearance – making sure hair is styled the way an individual likes it and that their appearance is always taken care of, boosting their self-confidence.
- Personal hygiene – expertly addressing any issues with hygiene in a sensitive manner and offering recommendations for hygiene products.
- Getting in/ out of bed – gentle support with physically getting out of bed in the morning and back into bed at night.
- Changing bedding – ensuring that bedding is changed regularly and when needed.
The benefits of live-in care
There are many advantages to opting for personal care for elderly at home. In addition to personal care, here are a few more examples of the benefits of choosing live-in care:
- Personalised one-to-one care
- Family can rest assured that their loved one’s care is in expert hands
- Round the clock care, with overnight or 24-hour care services also available
- Stay in the familiar surroundings of home
- Remain in the local neighbourhood, close to family and friends
- Maintain daily routine, hobbies, and interests
- Stay together as a couple whilst receiving care
- Keep beloved pets
- Retain a sense of independence
- No need to sell the home they love
As there is no need to sell up and move out of their home, live-in care is the least disruptive form of care and is surprisingly cost-effective too. For information on the cost of live-in care, find out more in our guide to the costs of live-in care.
Get in touch today
At Trinity Homecare, we know that assistance with personal care for elderly persons can make a significant difference to the quality of life of an individual who is struggling with these daily tasks. That’s why our carers excel at approaching personal care in a tactful and sensitive way so that your loved one can benefit from gentle support without feeling uncomfortable.
Trinity Homecare is a fully managed care agency with an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating, placing Trinity amongst the top 4% of all nationwide care companies in England. With this in mind, you can rest assured that your loved one will receive the highest standard of care and specialist support.
If you have any questions about arranging care, simply get in touch with our helpful and knowledgeable care team.
Arranging nationwide live-in care with Trinity is straightforward. Simply follow these five steps:
- Call our care team
- Undergo a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your care needs and arrange a care assessment
- After the assessment, a plan of care is created
- A well suited carer is found and placed
- Care can be adapted at any time
