Mum has had severely sensitive skin all her life with severe breakouts at times. She is allergic to several different things which I am not aware of since she has lost her list and her previous doctor could no longer provide it. However I recall as a adolescent she was once even banned from showering due to severe reaction.
When she was of sound mind she had this under better control, ie you know when you should stop scratching.
Now with her dementia she keeps scratching and scratching and scratching and has open bleeding sores all over.
She has a shower about 2-3 times a week. Usually it’s just a quick shower/rinse of bottom/armpits (as she has incontinence) and once a week I sponge scrub her, we might wash her hair etc.
after shower we apply barrier cream to her bottom half / inner thighs and I apply a moisturiser made for sensitive dry skin that is meant to be good for people with an itch or psoriasis/eczema. However, I’ve noticed the moisturising only makes her itch even more. Funny enough I too suffer from this occasionally. Often if I apply moisturiser even the sensitive type to my legs after shaving,.. I will scratch my legs and cause sores. So I avoid moisturising after shaving. So I kind of understand her predicament and the sensitive skin.
The difference is I make a conscious choice to stop scratching if I notice it.
With mum the scratching is out of control,.... and I fear she will give herself an infection with the dirt she already has under her finger nails (which I’m also always trying to clean). Unfortunately she has a habit of not only scratching herself but also surfaces, plates, cups etc. Ie she sees dirt on balcony table, she will begin scratching it. She has some really nasty sores that aren’t healing as she always re-scratches it open.
Ive tried putting bandaids on them but she removes them, doctors have prescribed her ointments but none work, I try keep her nails short but I’m at the point of where I feel like I need to put her hands in some gloves and somehow secure them. Oh can’t use any tape either as she is allergic.
I’m actually thinking she’s also sensitive to the barrier cream but without it,.. is not good either.
what does one do?
