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Riverowls, the no rinse body wash we use is squirted into the bath water, in our case the sink. When you sponge bath with soap it is hard to remove all of it even with multiple rinses, with the no rinse you simply wash and dry. You are obviously not using just one sink full of water to clean their face, arms, peri area etc.
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Im wondering about this no rinse wash stuff. If you put it on them & don't rinse it off them their dirt & grime PLUS the no rinse stuff all of it is still on their body. Sounds as gross as never taking a bath. If you can put the no rinse stuff on them surley you can put clean water on them to rinse off? Just like with a pool. People put the chemicals in the pool but all the kids pee & snot etc is STILL in there dead or not & eventually your swimming in a vat of chemicals & other ewwies.
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There are companies that convert tubs to showers, and a sponge bath is okay if they use a clean wash cloth every time. At these ages, they have to be very careful not to rub too hard or they might tear the thin skin. There still is no feeling like warm water running over the body to loosen up muscles. Check into the conversion.
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I worked in a nursing home for years and while a sponge bath is good for folks that are bed ridden but I would echo other comments that it needs to be done right to keep the person clean and their skin healthy. If they are at all ambulatory, there are many solutions to getting a person into a shower. My husband and I just purchased a walk-in tub for my mom. My mom just moved in with us and due to her mobility issues, her hygiene was poor. She LOVES this new tub... its very easy for her to use and she (currently) requires little assistance (which give her a piece of her freedom back). Even a small change like a removable shower head can make a huge difference.
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In 1991 I was in a serious accident, I was caked with blood and concrete, I had been that way for 16 hours. When I was moved to ICU the nurses ask me if there was anything they could do. I requested a sponge bath.
As for the elderly, my father-in-law who recently passed away had to be sponged bathed. He could stand up but could not bend over, see or hear.
He had a male attendant who bathed him every other day. He had to wear Depends underwear because he urinated on himself. He needed assistance with all his sanitation needs. I only have praise for the people at the assisted living facility for their care and love of the elderly. We are lucky this facility is wonderful, they call my wife every time there is an issue no matter how small.
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Please54, if your loved one is on Medicaid, talk to the Medicaid case manager about how to go about ordering incontinence supplies.
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I think that it all depends on the thoroughness of the individual. My dad sponge bathed for years because of a health issue and he was the best smelling man. My mom gets a spa day every week and while she doesn't smell bad she doesn't smell "fresh". So it must have something to do with body chemistry too. My mom comments every week how refreshing her shower is. There are a lot of options out there. There is even a portable shower stall that can be hooked up to a sink and a wheelchair rolled into it. I have had to look into this because I do not have a shower in our downstairs where mom is. She comes up to my shower each week where I have a bench I put in my large shower. I am not sure how much longer she will be able to climb the stairs so I am looking for ideas for the future. I think a shower/bath is mentally refreshing so I will as long as possible get mom to have that time of refreshment.
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Please 54 I would like a answer to my question about does medicaid pqy for adult diapers in sav.ga.
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yes just remember gentle gentle..their bones and skin are fragile...if you can manage there are hair shampoo devices you can use in a bed if necessary.It might be difficult to have them bend over the sink or shower.Yes those flexible shower attachments are a God send..good luck and God bless.
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When my husband was mobile I purchased walkers at resale stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army and a variety of community resale stores. These walkers cost no more than $3.00 I might have paid 4 for a "fancy" blue one.
Once in the bathroom after brushing teeth and a shave I would have him switch to the "shower walker" and he would stand in the shower holding onto a sturdy walker. We have the grab bars but having a walker right in front was much easier to grab onto.
Later we switched to a shower wheelchair. Much safer than a bench because the chair has a back so there is no chance to fall backwards. A bench would work well if you can place it up against the wall.
A shower 1 or 2 times a week is plenty as the skin dries out and the potential for falls increases. Use no rinse products. But keep an eye out for problems. If the skin is not cleaned properly it might not be easily noticed particularly in the peri area. Would they be willing to have "bath help" once or twice a week? It would be safer for them and not that costly especially if you compare it to the cost of a broken hip or arm that a fall may cause.
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This is one of my greatest concerns as well, especially since my husband is incontinent "both ways". I use the nonrinse shampoo and soap, but have also purchased a sliding shower bench. He is very negative and I know it will be difficult to get him to use it. But his skin is very compromised and something needs to be done. I want to try to do everything I can myself before I have "the talk" with him about a NH.
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Can you find out if they take medicaid for adult diapers in sav.ga.?
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I must say no on this one. I've known people who only took sponge baths and they still stunk. You don't get all the way clean with just a sponge bath alone, especially the hair. Hair needs regularly washed as well as the rest of the body. I've known enough sponge bathers to know that sponge bath alone is just not enough to be clean. I've known enough sponge bathers to know that sponge bath alone is just not enough to be clean. Sponge bathing is just for between regular bathing and not something to rely on as a shower replacement, not even with disposable premoistened washcloths on the market. Sponge bathing is just a temporary fix until you can get to the shower. I had a motorcycle wreck a while back and was in bed for three weeks with a real bad case of road rash. I could not even sit let alone stand and had to temporarily rely on sponge bathing but I was glad when I could finally step back into a regular shower and get all the way clean and I felt much better than sponge bathing alone. I can tell you even from my own experience that sponge bathing is definitely not enough because again, there still going to be an odor
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Also, consider a bath bench to stabilize the patient while bathing. My husband used one when under hospice care. I am 85 and have good balance, but always use a bath bench and a hand held shower. You might consider a flexible shower mat. Be sure the water is not too warm on the shoulders. I attribute that to the origin of eczema on my shoulders.
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Hi. I give a loved one (LO) bed baths all the time. After watching a lot of home health aides, I have a few suggestions. Use towels like a spa would and only uncover the area you are washing. The other areas stay covered up and warmer. The good aides would always soap once and rinse twice. I like the idea of the no rinse wash, but I use soap and warm water to really get my LO clean. A doctor told me not to use soap on private parts. So, I use baby oil to remove caked on Calmoseptine and Inzo, and then just clean those areas using war, wet wash clothes. There are products out there to make bed bathes easier. My best investment was buying an item that protects the bed from shampoo soap. You can find it on eBay if you search "Inflatable Shampoo Basin." The one I bought was under $20. There are also tubs you can inflate around your LO w/o getting them out of bed. I haven't splurged on that yet. I hope some of this helps. p.s. It's wonderful you are helping your parents.
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I agree, it would scare me to death but I guess in some cases folks have no choice. If you can even find a good handyman it could be a couple hundred bucks.
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Windy, I can't understand why they are even allowed to sell those suction grab bars. I know some people say they work fine, but even the best of them will eventually lose their grip, and probably at the worst time. I wouldn't even trust them as a short term solution.
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All excellent points Cwillie. I did all this stuff when my mom came home from a hospitalization a couple years ago. It was great for awhile, But as her mobility has worsened it's so hard for her to bathe even with all the bars, chair etc. She needs a bath aid at least once per week but of course she'll never agree to that.

A word to anyone looking to install grab bars in the bathroom:

Go online or talk to an expert about how to properly place the bars in a shower or bath. My mom had a visiting therapist who gave me some great tips. Usually around and in the bath/ shower area your dealing with tile or a composite surface. You only want to drill and anchor the bars once.

Don't use the suction type devices. Very dangerous.

If your not handy with tools, fasteners etc. hire someone who is. Nothing could be worse than a grab bar coming loose and an er trip with an elder.
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As everyone has pointed out sponge baths are fine if that is all you they can manage, but being able to really rinse off in a warm shower can be so beneficial if at all possible. Have you installed sturdy grab bars, bought a shower chair (get one with a back), converted to a hand held shower, added no slip strips and bought a gfi bathroom heater? At their age a bath aide once a week might also be helpful and make them less fearful.
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Another suggestion is finding a baby wipe or adult bathroom wipes that they could use inbetween the "bird baths". Just make sure they don't throw these wipes down the toilet. Experiment with the scents to find one they really like using which would make it more enjoyable.

I use those wipes like a washcloth, without the soap, when I just don't feel like diving into the shower.
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My folks are mid eighties and baths are very difficult. They do washcloth baths and seem to do pretty well. It's especially hard for elders in the winter to undress when it's cold. I had thought about a bath remodel, elder tub etc., but it would cost big bucks and they still wouldn't use it. Not to mention spending their money. OMG!
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If they are doing it regularly and are thorough, I'd say they should be fine. Could a family member offer to help with a shower once in a while when they visit? That might be very refreshing for them.

(If either of them is incontinent, that raises additional concerns.)
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Yes; use the no rinse products if you have to. They're used in hospitals (at least in Michigan) and in some SNFs (in my experience). Immersion baths are nice, and soothing, but without the proper assistive devices can be too dangerous.
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