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She is wheelchair bound. She will not go into the bathtub anymore because she is scared she will slip and fall. The bathroom is too small to fit the wheelchair anyway. She will not lay on the bed anymore so a bed basin is out if the question. There is one sink she can access in the house with the wheelchair and it is too high to reach from the wheelchair anyway. She refused sit on a cushion so the seat will be higher. We have to wash her hair while she is sitting straight up and we pour cups of water on her head. She gets upset because we get her wet. We end up having to do a change of clothes and use a roll of paper toweling to dry the floor. We purchased a plastic smock from a salon supply store and cover her with towels. She still gets completely wet. How can we wash her hair while she is sitting straight up and keep her dry? Keep in mind we can't use a sink or a shower. Thank you for your help.

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Is she able to go to the salon? You can just get a shampoo there. That way she can lean back..also they sell dry shampoo at the beauty supply shop. Good luck..My Mom washes her hair in the sink and I have to guilt her into it...
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Is the plastic smock from the salon very long? They have several sizes. If you can buy the long one - buy 2. On her wheelchair, wrap a towel around her neck, and secure with those salon pins. Then cover her front side with the 1st smock. Then cover her back side with the 2nd smock. Have her lean back on the wheelchair- if possible, slightly slanted backward - so that the water's natural flow will go backward.

Are you able to go to the hardware store and buy one of those outside water hose? But the shortest one possible and ensure that it Will be able to be screwed into that high sink. If it fits the faucet, then just Cut the other end to fit the length you need to properly wash her hair. My dad did that for the outside sink. The hose won't be very wieldy though.

Otherwise, just fall back with the pail of water and scoop.
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WOW good answers!! I also might add if she don't already have a wheelchair that has these squeezy handles that allow the back of the chair to recline.We have one, its great on my dads back since straight up is hard on him..you don't have to lean it but a few inches to get a backflow with your water..Invacare makes the wheelchair ..just putting it out there...big hugs
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I did a web search for hair washing for the disabled and came up with some neat but very expensive products that you could use at a kitchen style sink with a sprayer. The one I would try because it is inexpensive (under $16) from colonial medical.com. It is a flexible plastic tray with arms that go over the shoulders. The person is backed up to the sink and the tray directed into the sink and the arms fit over the shoulder and down the chest. The head only needs to be tipped slightly back and the clothes protected. It's not a very good description but there are pictures on the website so take a look. There is a more expensive bowl shaped like a hairdressers sink.
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We found someone who has experience with this and was able to figure everything out. Thank you for all of the input though!
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