Personal hygiene is important for senior citizens, as it's the most important aspect of maintaining their physical health. Even though many seniors agree with the fact, very few follow it. For Elders to maintain their self-worth and dignity, personal hygiene is important.
As people age, the body's immune system starts to decline. Personal hygiene works as an early warning sign for problems associated with improper self-care. Especially for seniors who live independently, personal hygiene is essential to ensure Physical health. Here are a few ways on how to maintain your personal hygiene,
Bathing is a basic necessity of every single individual to maintain their personal hygiene. Seniors with mobility impairment are the ones who need the utmost care, hiring a care attender would be the right option for them. Here are a few points on how to maintain proper hygiene while bathing,
Make sure that the bath towels (or) bath wipes are clean and tidy.
Don't be too harsh on their skin, as the skin of senior citizens is very delicate. Be smooth and gentle while you give them a wash.
Make sure the water is not too cold (or) too hot. Adjust the temperature of the water according to their comfort
Use mild soaps without additional fragrances to avoid skin damage by unwanted chemicals.
Make sure you apply a good amount of moisturizer (or) a body lotion to prevent dryness.
When it comes to toileting, maintaining proper hygiene is important. Senior citizens who have mobility issues need extra care when it comes to toileting. Improper toilet hygiene may cause rashes, sores, and other skin infections.Proper toilet hygiene will help seniors to maintain their dignity.
Install toilet safety aids such as raised toilet frames, raised toilet seats which will ensure proper hygiene as well as ease of use.
For bedridden patients, make sure you use proper toileting aids like Bedpans, Underpad, Adult diapers.
Make sure you change the diapers from time to time to avoid rashes and other skin allergies.
For seniors who are facing urinary incontinence, make sure you use an adult diaper while taking them out for a walk (or) for a medical check-up.
Oral hygiene is one of the most underestimated when it comes to personal hygiene. Yet people don't spend much of their time (or) effort on it. As people age, seniors face a lot of dental issues which affects their proper food intake. Where proper oral hygiene can prevent early tooth loss. Maintaining proper oral hygiene is essential for good physical health.
Make sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day i.e in the morning and before bed.
Senior citizens who intake diuretics have a very common issue of bad breath. Flossing and using mouthwashes can prevent bad odors.
If Seniors are using dentures, make sure they are properly cleaned to avoid oral infections.
Try to remove your dentures ( if in case you use them) before bed and clean them to avoid oral infections.
Grooming and maintaining proper hygiene will boost self-confidence within seniors. Grooming will not just make them look presentable, it will indeed make them feel a lot more confident to lead their lives individually. Grooming will make them realise their self-worth.
A lot of older females who lose their hair, start to feel inferior to themselves and hesitate to step out of their house. Proper hair care can prevent this case.
Hair Care starts from the home, try to use mild shampoo and conditioners to prevent excessive hair fall.
A mild head massage with lukewarm oil will boost blood circulation and promote hair growth at the same time it gives a relaxing feeling to seniors.
Glowing skin is one factor that makes them look more confident. A simple skincare regime is sufficient to get glowing skin. Using natural products is one of the secret skincare tips for glowing skin. Therefore, try to minimize the use of harsh soaps and change to mild natural cleansers for Seniors.
One great lesson this global pandemic has taught us is Hand-washing. Washing your hands before a meal can prevent the entry of germs into your body.
Hospitals contain a lot of germs in and around and seniors who visit hospitals often make sure you use a sanitizer.
Don't forget to wash your hands after using a toilet which has a higher rate of germs to be spread.
Maintaining proper hygiene might look impossible as we age, but make sure you take all the necessary efforts to make it possible. Personal hygiene is the best way for healthy living.
Author : Team 60Plus India
Keywords: Personal hygiene is important, Personal hygiene, Physical health, Senior citizen, Seniors citizens, Proper hygiene, Skin care, Hair care, Bathing, Elders, Self-worth, Dignity, Seniors.
Tags: #seniorcitizens #seniors #elders #eldelypopulation hygiene #goodhygiene #personlahygiene #properhygiene #physicalhealth #bathing #grooming #skincare haircare
