Another Bathing Question

[sweetmozart]

We have just started using one of those sliding shower chairs. We have two showers, but they are both the shower/tub combination. It was so easy when we could just take a shower together.

I wish there was a better option, but I don't see it.

My question is, how often do most of you bathe your PAL?

 

[Nuts]

We are close to three years in and mine still gets a shower every day. I can see how much it takes out of him, but he insists. If he didn't sweat so much at night I'd be suggesting we cut back, but that's not happening any time soon.

 

[sweetmozart]

Thanks. We always did it every day, until recently. I guess it's an individual thing.

We did the showers together for fifteen years. Lately, things are changing.......

 

[Annie's Phil]

I bathed Annie twice a week. I would have done it everyday, but she found it very tiring and so she picked Thursday and Sunday.

 

[Jhill]

most of the time we did every other day, but if Bob was really tired, we pushed it back a day.

Joan

 

[Atsugi]

Our bathroom was way too small, so when Krissy was wheelchair bound and unable to wash herself, we were lucky that the YMCA had remodeled. They had several fully ADA-compliant restrooms with giant roll-in showers. Once a week I would set her in the shower bench and give her a good scrubbing, being sure to make it a pleasant--even fun--experience.

 

[gooseberry]

Steve got them twice per week due to fatigue. We did them as early in the day as we could so he could nap after if needed. It is pretty individual depending on circumstances

 

[KateEmerson]

I am almost too embarrassed to answer this question but will. My husband Job presented with respiratory failure and was trached and vented immediately. He was in MGH for a month, rehab for another two months and only had bed baths during that time. As our first floor bathroom is only a half bath, we just continued the bed bath regime and are still doing that 3 years later. We do a thorough bath twice a week and partial the rest of the week.

 

[Diane H]

I have a very relaxed bathing schedule. I get a shampoo every other day but the rest is split into two parts, a bed bath for my lower half and in the bathroom at the sink for upper body. The bed bath takes only minutes. Soapy wash cloth, then a wet one to rinse, then towel dry. Upper body takes only a few minutes as well, and can be a whole scrub or just underarms. Splitting a bath into two parts is much less tiring for both of us. John has a part time job and this allows us to get off to work in a minimum amount of time. Other than the shampooing, the rest is very flexible, according to what needs washed and what our plans for the day are. I can go a week if necessary if I get a quick wash of my bottom and under arms a couple of times. After a week I feel a little grungy even if the essentials are clean. A daily full bath is bad for anyone with dry skin anyway, especially as we get older. I rarely get sweaty so this routine allows me to pass the sniff test!

 

[sweetmozart]

Thanks so much, everyone.

It really helps to be able to come here and learn from the collective wisdom of this group.

 

[affected]

I would put it this way - using soap on dry skin daily can be a bad thing, but not bathing daily. My Chris never liked soap on his skin to showering or bed bathing was more about water than soap. Soap is after all just a wetting agent.

There are more gentle products now that are hydrating as well as cleansing for any skin type.

 

[gooseberry]

We used hydrating body washes. They worked well and we could use them for a quick was or shower without drying out the skin. Tea tree, lemon and peppermint body washes help skin stay hydrated and free of stink.

 

[sweetmozart]

What is the name of the body washes you are using, gooseberry? They sound great!

 

[gooseberry]

Alba botanicals line is a favorite and also avalon organics. The alba botanicals has some nice washes and avalon does also but their lotions aee incredible. They also have some nice shampoos if your pals has an itchy head. Tea tree and lemon, eucalyptus and peppermint are antibacterial and skin protective.

Amazon and vitacost have these products. I find vitacost cheaper usually.

 

[Duker52]

Thanks so much for this thread! I thought I was the only who felt exhausted after my shower -- and I take cool, not hot showers. Nice to find others in the same boat. Bill