How to Wash Your Elderly Loved One’s Hair for Her

By Susan Myer, RN, BSN, CCRN, CDP | March 30, 2017 | Comments Off on How to Wash Your Elderly Loved One’s Hair for Her
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Caregiver in Warren NJ: How to Wash Your Elderly Loved One’s Hair for Her

As a family caregiver, washing her hair is one of the more personal tasks you can perform for her. Doing so may not seem so easy, however, especially if you’ve never done this for anyone else.

Temperature Is a Big Deal

If the room or the water you’re using aren’t the right temperature, washing your loved one’s hair is likely to be uncomfortable for her. Toward that end, take the time to warm up the room and to adjust the water temperature before starting. You might want to go a step further and even put the towel for her hair in the dryer for a few minutes to warm it up, too.

Set up a Spot at the Sink

Using a handheld shower head in the tub can be the easiest way to wash your loved one’s hair, but that isn’t always feasible. An easier way to wash your loved one’s hair is to use the sprayer at the kitchen sink. Take the time to make sure you’ve got everything from shampoo to conditioner before you get started.

Make a Switch to Dry Shampoo Occasionally

If washing your loved one’s hair is a trial for both of you, it might be worth it to investigate using dry shampoo now and again. These types of shampoos range from powders that you sprinkle into your loved one’s hair and then brush out to spray-on versions that remove dirt and oil. These products can help to clean your loved one’s hair periodically in between more thorough washes.

Sometimes Good Enough Is Good Enough

Your loved one may be more cooperative during some hair washes than during others. This is normal and can provide a valuable learning experience. Sometimes good enough truly is good enough and you don’t have to worry about doing the job perfectly every time.

Be Good to Both of You

In the end, it’s important to make the experience as positive as you can make it. Come up with a reward system once you’ve successfully gotten through with washing her hair. The reward might be a small one, such as having a cookie together, or it could be larger, depending on what motivates your loved one the most.

You’ll soon find a routine for your loved one’s hair care that works for both of you.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional caregiver services in Warren, NJ, please talk to the caring staff at Generations Home Health Care today. Providing Home Care in Somerset, Essex, Union, Morris and Hunterdon Counties. Call us today at (908) 290-0691 or (973) 241-4534.

Susan Myer, RN, BSN, CCRN, CDP
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