What about giving them sponge baths. Put the toilet seat down and they can sit on toilet part of time if they can't stand long. Maybe turn on a portable heater to warm the room. Can you find out why they don't want to take a show or bath?
How is their cognitive ability? Can you tell them some white lies to get them into the bath? Would they bathe if they were going out later, or someone was coming to visit?
How often are you trying to do a full bath/shower? I think it's more than ok to allow elders to not adhere to the strict hygiene rituals of most modern adults, i.e., if they will do a shower once a week and allow some sponge bathing in between, that's been acknowledged by med pros as more than adequate bathing for their stage of life.
I take it that this is a client and that you go to their house as a bath aid, is that right? Did your training give you some tips? I know what I did with my cousin, but, I'm not sure how that would work with a hired bath aid. I didn't push for a shower, because it was just too much for her to handle. I just ran the water in the sink and got the wash cloth ready for her to bathe that way. Showers were just out of the question. However, once she got to the AL, she got 3 showers a week. I'm not sure how they did it. I don't think they ask, they just escort the resident in and it happens. Not much discussion. That's my take on it.
How often are you trying to do a full bath/shower? I think it's more than ok to allow elders to not adhere to the strict hygiene rituals of most modern adults, i.e., if they will do a shower once a week and allow some sponge bathing in between, that's been acknowledged by med pros as more than adequate bathing for their stage of life.