Hey all, I give my mom her shower a couple times a week. She has a walk in shower that has a chair she sits on because of mobility issues. She has a for of Parkinsons. Well long story short. She sits on the shower chair and I don't think her bottom gets cleaned because you can still smell her. Are there any types of inserts that fill with water she can sit on her shower chair to soak her bottom? It is getting unbearable to smell her. Any suggestions appreciated. Thank you everyone...
Good Luck.
So, when I first figured out I would have to take matters into my own hands (litterly, I guess), was that I realized she couldn't reach her backside so well and was trying to was her front side sitting down with a cloth. I explained how she could get a better clean if she stood up and that I would take care of her bottom. When it's time to take care of bathing her down stairs, I say, "Okay, I'm going to wash your bottom, " before I touch her. This way she doesn't feel surprised or weird uncomfortable. She's in charge of her front, just because I that would be too uncomfortable for her and I'm not gonna lie, me as well.
Then, there's a young woman who was the receptionist when Mother went to physical therapy after breaking her hip. She took care of her grandfather who was in his 90's and had dementia. To bathe him, she would shower with him (don't get weird on me people, of course she was clothed), because, although he could still walk and stand pretty well, he just couldn't connect the dots with some tasks. She was lucky that he wasn't a fighter. More like a well behaved child (oxymoron? lol).
So, there you have it. My 2 cents. 😁
The problem you are having is why I hate shower chairs. Everything is not getting cleaned. They do have sitz bath, available at nearly all stores, that are placed over the toilet. That might help you. It would probably be too tall and a safety issue to place on the shower chair.
If you still have a bathtub in the house, there are lift chairs that will get her all the way in and out of a bath so she can actually soak in the water and allows for better cleaning. I spent about $3K and it has been worth every single penny and we were dealing with an exceptionally small bathroom, so you don't need a lot of room to install and use it. Call Kelli Beckel 5096309571 - she can send you info about their pro bath chair lift. Tell her Cathy sent you. I've tried to refer everyone I can after getting one set up. Look up pro bath to see what it looks like. Don't have to worry about a leak that can happen with walk-in tubs, the cheaper lifts that sit in bottom of tub can be a little difficult for someone with mobility issues to get on/off of. The man who designed this chair is a genius. He and his wife are wonderful.
This way she can wash herself through the mesh or the hole in the commode chair with the hand held shower wand.
Here is a link to something that may help.
https://www.medicalsupplydepot.com/Bathroom-Safety-Products-1/Raised-Toilet-Seats-2/Extra-Wide-Tall-Ette-Bariatric-Elevated-Toilet-Seat-with-Legs.html?itemNSId=73901&utm_source=google_ads&utm_campaign=11496083171&utm_content=113239553998&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk7rF2KX-7gIVdgytBh0DXgtqEAQYASABEgLfB_D_BwE
When it is your family member it wouldn't be all weird and you have to get a visual to ensure that the skin is healthy. So a bottle brush would not be beneficial.
* Put a towel on the chair that has lotion / soap already on it. Tell her the soap needs to be cleaned off with water and help her scoot up a bit.
* If she is already sitting, tell her you need to rearrange the chair and assist her to get up.
* Does the chair have holes in it? Get that hose underneath like one of those toilets ('dubay') !
* Don't make a big deal out of it. Make a statement and keep going.
* You could also do a similar process in the bed . . . or wash her when sitting on the toilet. Perhaps it doesn't have to be done (all the time or initially) in the shower.
* Different approaches may work at different times.
* Once she gets used to it, hopefully / likely it won't be a big deal (to her).
. . . I do not have personal experience as many do here. I am sure you are getting lots of useful advice/suggestions.
I totally get where you are at. I'm really close to my momma and we often joke about how she wiped my bum when I was a baby and now i'm wiping hers. I'm sure at first, a couple of years ago it might've been uncomfortable for both of us, but now it's just like cleaning between her toes! No big deal. Now my Mom had to go to a rehab center 2 years ago after hip replacement, and all "privacy" went out the window. So she's okay with it. Recently she had a fall, was in hospital with a pad under her and the nurses taught me how to use the bedpan and change both her "pull ups" and pad on the bed. Now because she has digestive issues, I don't allow her to wipe her bum when I'm home to keep things sterile. My mom has a large shower with a wide chair that sits two legs in and two legs out. She sits down, facing me then turns towards the shower handles, then puts her feet in the shower while sitting. The caregivers do this as well with her. There are safety handles vertical along the shower and one horizontal under the shower head. We installed a shower head on a long "hose" and I stand behind her. When I'm done with her back, arms, armpits, chest, legs then she stands up. I give her the wash cloth soaped up and she cleans her pubic area and urinary area. I then use the cloth and wipe her bum going front to back. If I can see any visible poo, I'll use a medicated wipe (like a baby wipe we use after she poops on the toilet) first, then wash with soap and water. If your Mom is not able to stand long enough then I'd suggest having her lay on her side on the bed, with a pad under her use a bed pan with soap and water. It's a pain, but "diaper rash" or UTI can be very painful. I hope this helps. You can do it. Just think of all she did for you when you were young and vunerable. Remind her that it is a priviledge to care for her.
My 83 year old mother was having difficulty showering using a shower chair and we recently solved the problem by installing a Windsor walk-in bath for her, which has a wide door to enter the bath and a moulded seat on the inside. Mum enjoys a great soak and a good clean several times a week. We found that the walk-in bath was the perfect solution to give mum some independence and to keep her clean and fresh.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I459LFS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I would have her stand up and use a spray bottle filled with soap and then use another bottle spraying clean warm water then pad her dry and put on cream or antibiotics. Dr J Grenan PhD
lastly, “scrubbing” (of course I mean lightly) with a washcloth seems to help also. Great question!
LUME (available online) makes a gentle, sudsy soap. Follow the was up with the LUME cream deodorant (just a pinch is all you need) and apply it in the crevices. Controls smells amazingly well for up tp 72 hours. (Their commercials alone are a hoot!)
If washing your parent's privates gives you discomfort wear a pair of medical grade gloves. The feeling of there being a 'barrier' between you and your LO is a mental thing, I know, but it was the only way I could wash my mom. Seemed more clinical that way.
And, sadly, sometimes we have to go through the closet and do 'sniff tests' to see what simply cannot be saved. (Pants, which have been laundered but not with the right detergents and additives to kill the urine smell.) Keeping your LO well stocked with fresh panties or boxers, whatever, and tossing the ones that cannot be adequately cleaned is not cheap, but helps a lot.
One of my caregivers also rinses her bum with warm water after she has pooed in the toilet. she has her lean forward and washes her. it makes a mess with water on the floor but she puts towels down.