What does a KKK member in a pink unicorn robe, an old-timey stripper, and a naked Barbie have in common? They're all pleased as punch to offer their assistance with dementia showering!
Alright, dementia caregivers, we've gotten rather skilled (and had a lot of luck) at getting our dementia mom through a shower with hardly any screaming, punching, or kicking - from either her or us!
We've come a long way, baby, from those rocky road days of How to Bathe a Beast. And I'll can say to that is "Phew!" Trauma on that scale never did us one bit of good!
So, I thought I'd throw together this video to let you know what's working over yonder in Stumped Town Dementia.
And if you've got some sweet, sweet moves to get your dementia folks through the personal hygiene battle with maximum success and minimal casualties, please toss 'em at the rest of us! All strategies appreciated - not just by our dementia household, but caregivers everywhere wrangling their way through this bathing/showering thing as best we all can.
Very well done! Your short description when looking for sites grabbed my attention immediately because I can relate and it was inviting funny. My problem of getting mom washed is when she's had an accident for lack of keeping a diaper on. UGH! Then the fight is on. Some have lasted DAYS! I've been clobbered on the head really hard by her pulling the shower curtain down on purpose even when she's in her shower chair and we're bathing. Now I have that rigged to where the curtain will rip instead of cracking me on my head. I have had to remove everything she can get a hold of outside of the rails on the walls because she will brake…
Yeah! Thanks for letting me know, Betsy. I was having so much fun immersing myself in the creative process I kept having to remind myself that naked Barbie's are fun and all, but the point was to INFORM caregivers about how we're managing easier showers, not just throw jokes out to the internets to make myself giggle! I'm glad I accomplished my goal.
Informative AND funny! Thanks LG