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Bathing Safety Checklist
- Gather all your bathing supplies together at once, before the cleaning process begins. This include towels, washcloths, soap, and any special items, such as tear-free cleanser. You may also want to keep after-bath items, such as lotions or creams, easily accessible as well. This prevents having to run around at the last minute looking for the needed items, at the risk of leaving your loved one in the bath unattended.
- Especially with elderly bathers (and also with handicapped children), adaptive devices may be needed to ensure bathing safety. These can include shower chairs, benches, grab bars, bath mats, long-handled brushes and other items. Just like regular bathing supplies, these should be ready in advance of the bath. Some of them, such as shower chairs and benches, may need a prescription, and can be ordered from medical supply outlets.
- Water must be an appropriate temperature for bathing. Test the water several times by sticking in your finger, and add more cold water as needed to prevent burns. Move the hot and cold water around with a washcloth so that the temperature throughout the bath is even. It is also important that the temperature not be too cold, which can lead to damaged extremities. At the very least, uncomfortable temperatures can lead to uncooperative bathers. This makes giving a bath more dangerous, because the person you are attempting to clean may struggle or flail around because of high or low temperatures.
- Sometimes, it is simply not possible to bathe an individual alone. Whether it is an especially fussy baby or an elderly person, four hands are often better than two. Arrange to have assistance bathing your loved one if it is needed. The person you choose should have a schedule that works with yours, should be patient with difficult bathers, and must be comfortable seeing people in the nude.
Bathing Supplies
Special Equipment
Temperature
Assistance
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