Try: #dress the cr in several layers of lightweight clothing for example a couple of t-shirts and a button-down shirt when the cr takes one shirt off there will be one or two left use cotton t-shirts as they allow air and heat to pass through their weave unlike many synthetic materials #if possible thread the end of the extra-long belt through the belt buckle then tuck the end behind the belt threading it through two or through belt loops this may koop the cr from easily removing the pants however it may also increase the cr cr’s dependence on a helper for personal tasks such as undressing and dressing rearranging clothes to use the restroom and adjusting clothes if they feel uncomfortable keep this in mind if you provide or organize care

Materials: T-shirts made of 100 cotton shirts with buttons pants and extra-long belt belts

Categories: Bathing Grooming, Continence Toileting, Dressing Clothing, Emotional Psychological, Memory, Shopping, Socialization, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Independence, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Cognitive Awareness, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Make a list on the poster board of the daily personal tasks that need to be performed and the times they are done for example the poster board could say 7 00am dress for the day and have a sticker of clothes attached after all of the daily personal tasks are listed on the poster board tape it up in a designated area where it can be easily seen take the cr to the poster board before each daily personal task and point out what task needs to be performed this will help the cr anticipate the task and not feel surprised and defensive when the time comes for it to be completed

Materials: Poster board marker tape stickers that correspond to the daily personal tasks for example for tooth brushing – sticker of a toothbrush for eating – sticker with food

Categories: Bathing Grooming, Dressing Clothing, Emotional Psychological

Information: n/a

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #reachers are metals sticks with handles at one end and pick-up pinchers at the other they are often about thirty inches long some pinchers have suction-cup tips while others have finer plastic or metal gripping tips some come with small magnets near the tips that allow for pick up of items such as pins tacks coins etc #buy several pinchers each in different styles they can be found at drug stores but wider varieties are available through medical supply stores and independent living catalogs #buy a long handled pair of tongs at any general merchandise store #use reachers to lift relatively light items from the floor such as small articles of clothing paperback books craft items etc use the tongs to lift heavier items reachers may be used to extend the cr’s reach so a basket can be dragged across a floor but keep in mind that some reachers are designed to be strong only in the direction of the handle to the tip and may buckle if used to move weight from side to side tongs depending on their design may not be useful for holding things tightly but they may be helpful in dragging heavier items forward from the back of shelves or closets

Materials: Several reachers a pair of long metal salad or bbq tongs

Categories: Bathing Grooming, Dressing Clothing, Falls & Balance, Housekeeping Home Maintenance, Laundering, Leisure, Meal Preparation, Safety, Mobility, Mobile, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Touch, Good Touch, So-So Touch

Information: n/a

References: n/a

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #make sure the bathing area is as safe as possible for the cr and the caregiver if the cr moves about when agitated it is particularly important to have no-skid surfaces in the tub or shower and to have bathmats on the floor keep clutter and glass away from the tub or shower #give the cr the extra washcloth to hold while he or she is being bathed holding the cloth may give the cr a sense of control and it will allow the cr to help with the bathing process when possible it may also keep the cr cr’s hands too full to strike out #consider using a lightweight smallish towel to drape over the cr in the shower or the tub to protect the cr cr’s privacy or modesty as desired by the cr uncover only that part of the body that is being washed and then cover it again before moving on to wash another area #if a cr cr’s resistance is related to acute anxiety or poses a threat to self or others you may want to explore medicinal options with the appropriate doctor #consider having a small treat waiting for the cr at the end of the bath or shower in the form of a special snack or activity however never promise something that is a basic necessity such as food water or rest in exchange for cooperation access to sleep water and nutrition should never depend on the cr cr’s behavior #be willing to look at why you think the cr needs to bathe maintaining the health of the skin and preventing bed sores is a critical reason eliminating any trace of body odor in an otherwise physically healthy cr may be negotiable and you may be able to deal with it by supplementing less-frequent showers with more frequent sponge baths

Materials: No-skid mat for bath or shower bathmats extra washcloth lightweight small body towel for use in shower or bath medication consultation safe space for bathing

Categories: Bathing Grooming, Communicating, Emotional Psychological, Safety, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Independence, Some Supervision, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: High-quality portable grab bars can be purchased that are rated to support average sized people safely they attach using suction cups and have indicators that let you know if they are properly attached no tools are required these can be detached moved and positioned anywhere in the tub for maximum effect for example on the the front or across a corner if these positions are more useful to the cr and can be repositioned as needs change because they are portable if the cr changes homes or apartments or moves into an assisted living center these can come with allowing the cr to experience the same convenience in the new dwelling as in the old

Materials: High-quality portable grab bars

Categories: Bathing Grooming, Safety, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance

Information: n/a

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: A tub transfer bench can be a great supplement to help a cr with mobility problems get in and out of the tub area follow manufacturer instructions but bench should fit over the rip of the tub shower doors will likely need to be removed though usually the shower curtain can be tucked in the slot on the bench the cr sits on the outside edge of the transfer bench then either lifts legs over the rim one at a time or lifts legs and scoots in with caregiver assistance once in the shower area a hand held shower will give the cr maximum control and cleanliness

Materials: Tub transfer bench hand held shower

Categories: Bathing Grooming, Falls & Balance, Safety, Transferring, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: # have the group divide into twos # one cr goes first taking a seat in the chair # have the other cr put warm water in the basin and bring it to the table that cr should dip the washcloth in the warm water wring it out and place it on the face of the seated person when the washcloth becomes cool this step should be repeated # place a small amount of face cream in a small plastic bowl and place it next to each pair # the standing cr should warm the cream a little by rubbing it in his or her hands then apply a little to the seated person person’s face # the standing cr should support the seated cr cr’s head and gently massage the cream over the face of the seated cr continue massaging gentle for about five minutes the standing cr should ask which motions the sitting cr feels most comfortable with and continue those # the two crs can switch places and repeat the process

Materials: Room that can accommodate a group such as an art room; the room should have counters or tables chairs and hot and cold running water small plastic wash basins one for each every two people available in almost any department or drug store with a bath and beauty section thick white washcloths one per person department or drug store or participants can bring his or her own small plastic bowl pleasantly scented face cream and hypoallergenic face cream for those who may need it department or drug stores

Categories: Bathing Grooming, Socialization

Information: n/a

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Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: # change to hand-held shower head # install a bath seat in tub or shower # mount long-handled soap dispenser at a height for the cr where he or she can easily reach it while sitting on the bath seat # mount a sponge within easy reach the handle should be long enough that the cr can reach all body parts

Materials: Hand-held shower head wall-mount soap lotion dispenser that is designed to be used in the shower bath seat home health store medical supply store drugstore long-handled sponge suction mounted hooks for soap brush

Categories: Bathing Grooming, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance

Information: n/a

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Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: # secure tennis ball in the vice or between two heavy books so it will not move # very carefully cut a small slit into the tennis ball using the box cutter just big enough to fit the handle of the toothbrush # push the handle of the toothbrush into the hole about an inch deep # so long as the hole is small the toothbrush should be secure # alternatively try cutting a toothbrush-sized slit through a foam stress ball and push the toothbrush handle through again matching the hole size to the toothbrush handle or making the hole a little smaller will ensure the best fit # the ball provides an easier grip for the cr # this same trick can also be used with forks spoons or anything cr has difficulty handling

Materials: Tennis ball slightly used is easier to work with but a new one is also fine box cutter vice or something to secure the tennis ball so it won’t roll or foam stress ball long sharp knife and new soft manual toothbrush

Categories: Bathing Grooming, Feeding Eating, So-So Touch, Poor Touch

Information: n/a

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*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Get the cr involved in deciding how often brushing teeth combing hair showering changing clothing etc will be done for each day of the week have a short morning and evening list of things to be done help the cr get in the habit of looking at this calendar first thing in the morning and again after dinner this set-up will allow some discussion on looking and planning ahead for instance when the next day is coming up for a shower

Materials: Large wall calendar colorful markers

Categories: Bathing Grooming, Dressing Clothing, Some Supervision

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed