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HappyFeet1961 Asked January 2020

Professional bather, any suggestions?

Need someone to come to my home to bathe my mom.

GardenArtist Jan 2020
"No rinse surfactants are awesome. Not as good as a real shower but way better than nothing. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I used no rinse shampoo. As long as you use it right, it works pretty well."   NTWH

Needtowashhair, I had the same reaction.  I was surprised how clean and refreshed my skin and hair felt, after a no rinse cleanup.   I did miss the feel of water pouring down on me, but just the sense of being clean made the experience worthwhile.

And I didn't have towels to wash and a tub to clean up afterward!

needtowashhair Jan 2020
The easiest way, call up an agency. You can order a bath like you order a pizza. It will be kind of expensive though. Agencies have minimums. Around me they are either like $40/hour with a 2 hour minimum or $26/hour with a 3 hour minimum. Some agencies even have 4 hour minimums. So it ends up being about $80 a shower.

The other option is to find someone on your own. Someone with a free hour between their other caregiving duties. This is what we ended up doing. Lower rate and no minimum. It took a while to find someone though. I asked everyone I could. I asked doctors, nurses, called up retirement homes, called up senior centers, people standing in line at the pharmacy. I ended up getting two referrals and picked one. She's worked out really well.

Another option if you can transport your mom is to take her somewhere to get bathed. Some nursing homes will provide that service. You take her to a NH, they bath her and then you bring her home.

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cwillie Jan 2020
That's something available from most agencies, they employ CNAs who have training in caring for personal needs. You might also want to have the home assessed by an occupational therapist who can make suggestions about modifications around the home that will make life easier.

GardenArtist Jan 2020
Ask one of her doctors about getting a script for home care.  A nurse would come out and make an assessment, then another worker would be assigned for the personal care.

Think though if immersion bathing is appropriate (with a shower chair, personal disrobing in front of a stranger, the shock of being cold in a shower or tub, etc.).  If dementia involves, that's another concern.

Once I discovered no rinse shampoos and soap, I found they were so much safer to use and didn't put a parent in the uncomfortable situation of disrobing for a stranger, not to mention they can be used while sitting down almost all of the time, and are much safer.
needtowashhair Jan 2020
No rinse surfactants are awesome. Not as good as a real shower but way better than nothing. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I used no rinse shampoo. As long as you use it right, it works pretty well.

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