Follow
Share

Since last week, mom has been "showering" both am and pm. She just changes her clothes and doesn't really use water. I can still smell pee on her. She has moderate dementia and is 85 yrs old. Is this another weird dementia thing? We are in the northeast and temperatures are not hot that she is sweating etc.

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Find Care & Housing
I’d say definitely dementia. For some they don’t do something (like showering - my MIL hasn’t showered in about a year) because they think they just did it. For your mother, she probably can’t remember the last time she did it, so goes to do it, but gets distracted half way though and does not complete the task.

Feel blessed that she’s open to showering at all! I’d recommend hiring a PSW to help with showering (choose a time of day when your mom is likely to attempt showering) and maybe with someone handholding her, the task can be completed.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

Hi--I'm thinking she's losing track of her days. She's forgotten she's showered already. As noted, it's perhaps one of the really rare victories with this disease that the thing she's doing is showering.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
wearynow Sep 2021
Thank you ...she just changes clothes...doesn't wash herself. She goes in the bathroom, changes and comes out...I cannot hear water and bathroom is mostly dry. I keep washing her clothes properly every few days.
(0)
Report
Thank you. In the past one month, I've been showering her once a week...I hope I can keep doing this...she fights me the rest of the week and tells me to leave her alone etc...but I feel she must get a bath once a week at least.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

wearynow, I am sorry but I just can't figure out your post as presented by the title? You say your Mom is showering in the morning and again in the evening, but all she is doing is changing her clothes. Therefore, I conclude is is, in fact, not showering/bathing. Is that correct?
Helpful Answer (0)
Report

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter