She won't accept it is dry skin. She has lived in 3 facilities over the last 3 years, and at each one at some point -usually winter - she complains there are bugs in some of her clothes that are biting her. She wants everything washed and fumigated. We have asked about meds causing it, and it is possible that the benedryl she takes to sleep could cause her to be dry - but she has this problem way before she started taking the benedryl so I tend to think that is not the problem. Any suggestions as to how to handle this? I am at a loss other than taking her to the doctor again to tell her it is dry skin, or nerve endings tingling.She doesn't believe it.
I think I might have someone pretend spray the alleged infested area, pretend take it all to be fumigated at the cleaners and then a pretend lotion that wards them off her body. Then print out an article (that I prepare) that says the bugs will be all killed along with their eggs within 48 hours. Then inspect and confirm they are gone. That might help her feel better.
Here's a link about it.
wikipedia/wiki/Delusional_parasitosis
On that subject, how is her fluid intake?
The fact that this occurs in winter suggests it's from heated air that isn't humidified, as it isn't in any facility in which I've visited.
I think some people are just more sensitive to drier air than others.
Dry skin is not only uncomfortable, it can be unhealthy. Put a hygrometer in the room to measure the actual moisture content. I'm guessing it will be as low as 20 or even lower.
You can get small samples of various lotions in travel sections of grocery stores (at least that's the case here in my area), try them out and see which ones she likes. Then make it a ritual to help massage her skin and make her feel better.
Or ask a dermatologist what's a good moisturizer.
I've found the best by far is a thicker lotion is "Creamy Coconut" from Bath & Body Works. Hands down, it provides more moisturizing effect than anything else I've ever used.
And consider getting a humidifier; it'll provide moisture to the air and make the entire room more comfortable.
Lately when she talks about her poison ivy, I ask her if she got it in the dining room. She says no, then points to a place outside and say she got it there. I tell her she hasn't been out there. She then tells me that she knows it is poison ivy and that's where she got it. And she wants me to order the medicine for it right now. We go through this a lot and I don't take it so seriously. Older skin gets dry and bumpy. Sometimes I think she keeps "poison ivy" by putting so many things on her skin to treat it, especially the calamine that is very drying.
Older folks often do get irritation from a mild infection of the hair follicles of the skin. It can be particularly itchy if they scratch or pick at it. I imagine that the warm clothes of winter can rub against the hairs and exacerbate the problem. Dermatologists can prescribe a cream that can help. An OTC hydrocortisone cream may also work. Lotions, e.g. Cerave and Aveeno are also helpful with dry skin. Dermatologists recommend Cerave most often, but I prefer Aveeno.