Assisting A Dementia Person With Dressing & Grooming

The appearance of a person with Alzheimer's or a related dementia can help to promote his or her self-worth, so it's essential that a caregiver help them to
get dressed and assist with daily grooming routines. Depending on
the progress of the Alzheimer's, your loved one may need only a
little bit of help with tougher activities, such as clipping their
finger nails, or they might need full supervision and assistance on
a day-to-day basis.

People with Alzheimer's may forget how to get dressed or feel
overwhelmed by the clothing choices they need to make each day.
You can simplify the process by going through their wardrobes and
eliminating any items they will likely never wear again. Help them
to choose an outfit by laying out two choices on their bed where
they can see their options. If you find that your loved one likes
to wear the same outfit each day, buy two or three duplicates of
each article so that they wear clean clothes instead of ones
they've worn earlier in the week.

When it comes time to actually get dressed, people with Alzheimer's
can become confused and lose track of what they're doing. To
encourage them, give them one piece at a time with specific
instructions rather than asking them to just get dressed. For
example, hand them their pants and ask them to put them on,
repeating the same procedure with the rest of their outfit. Make
sure they have comfortable, non-slip shoes and replace buttons,
zippers and snaps with Velcro, which can be a lot easier for your
loved one to handle.

When left to their own devices, Alzheimer's patients may not
continue with certain grooming rituals, such as brushing their
teeth, shaving and combing their hair. They may not only forget
how to do these things, but it's possible that they don't realize
they need to be done in the first place. To encourage daily
grooming, buy your loved ones favorite products so the activities
are more enjoyable for them. Spend time with your loved one and
get ready together so you can show them first hand how to do things
and they can watch and mimic your activity.

To prevent injuries, replace dangerous grooming tools, such as nail
clippers or razors, with safer options, such as emery boards or
electric shavers. Since going to a hair dresser can be an
overwhelming, frightening experience for your loved one, ask your
barber or hairstylist to come to your home, where your loved one
will be more comfortable. The important thing is to encourage as
much independence as possible without sacrificing your loved ones
hygiene or safety.
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