Personal care tasks are those tasks such as dressing, bathing, and grooming that your elderly family member may be having trouble handling on her own. These tasks may be something that you’re helping her with now, and that means big changes for both of you.

Make Sure She’s Comfortable

Comfort is one of the most important factors for your aging adult when it comes to personal care tasks. The room itself needs to be the right temperature and if there are any windows, they should be covered so that your senior doesn’t feel exposed. Likewise, you want to make sure that you close the door any time your elderly family member will be naked. Always test water temperature and make sure that you’re prepared for whatever you’re about to do.

Allow Her to Be as Independent as Possible

You may wonder just how much help your senior needs with these personal care tasks. There’s probably quite a bit that she can still do on her own, but she needs some support. That means that you need to allow her to do what she can and simply be there to offer her a hand when she needs it.

Let Her Lead the Way, if Possible

Your elderly family member likely has some well-established habits that she’d like to stick to. Perhaps she washed her hair every other day for most of her life or she prefers baths instead of showers. In whatever ways that you can, allow your elderly family member to lead the way. Allow her to show you her preferences and what it is that she really wants and needs.

Know When to Hand Personal Care Tasks Over to Someone Else

Home care providers are highly experienced when it comes to helping aging adults with personal care tasks. You may want to hire them to help you and your elderly family member learn how to handle this new aspect of caring for her. Or, if it’s more comfortable for your elderly family member to have another person to help her that may be a better option. Some aging adults find that a family member is often too close to the situation.

Remember that as difficult as personal care tasks are for you, they’re just as difficult and embarrassing for your aging adult. The more dignity that you allow your elderly family member the better. It’s important to remember that this is just another task with which you can help your senior.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Morgan Hill, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.

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andy@hcprosonline.com

CEO at HomeCare Professionals

Andy Howardis a Bay Area Native who holds a BA in Political Science (University of Colorado at Boulder, ’97). After college Andy worked in the surging tech industry.His Grandmother however, would suffer a significant decline in health and ultimately needed in-home care. The experience of a loved one depending on outside help to age in place proved to be pivotal for Andy as he left the tech industry in 2002 for an opportunity in the home care world with a large provider. After having success in home care, but being frustrated by corporate constraints Andy founded HomeCare Professionals in 2005.He methodically built the company one client at a time by focusing on hiring quality caregivers to ensure positive outcomes. Currently Andy serves as the CEO of HomeCare Professionals and is also highly active in the non-profit organization California Association of Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) which advocates for a higher standard of in-home care for those who wish to remain living at home in California.

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