You may remember your parents being reasonably clean and well-groomed, but now that they are aging, they have started to refuse showers, brush their teeth, or even wear fresh, clean clothes. 

There are many people who deal with senior loved ones or parents who refuse to bathe or change their clothes on a regular basis. You just have to figure out why they do this so you can find a way to coax them to go back to good hygiene habits and get themselves clean regularly.

Understanding these reasons may also help you become more understanding of their situation and also take out the frustration from the equation.

Why Seniors Refuse Proper Grooming and Hygiene

There are many factors why your elderly loved ones or parents have suddenly refused this. Some of them are:

• Depression. If this is coupled with low energy, change in behavior, and refusal to engage in other things they used to find fulfillment in, then your senior must be depressed. It helps to suggest that they talk to a professional for appropriate treatment.
• Control. Refusing to bathe may just be a powers struggle for them, as they may feel to lose more and more control over their lives. The more you urge them, the more that they will resist.
• Dulled senses. While you may easily smell the malodorous situation, your elders may not notice these as their sense of smell, among other senses, may not be as sharp as it used to. Therefore, they may not shower or change as often as they should compared to before when they can notice the tell-tale signs of body odor.
• Losing track of time. They may not realize how long the time was when they last took a shower or bath. Their days may also seem dull or boring even for them, and they may think that there’s no one coming over or there’s no place to go, so why bother.
• Fear and discomfort. For the elderly, the bathroom can be very scary, especially since accidents can easily happen here. The slick and hard surfaces pose more risk for elders than for younger people. Furthermore, seniors can easily get cold as their bodies can’t easily regulate temperature as before. If there’s someone who helps them bathe, the discomfort and loss of privacy and dignity can also make them dread the idea of bathing.

Aside from this, many cognitive disorders such as dementia may also prevent them from willingly bathing or maintaining good personal hygiene.

If you need help caring for your elderly loved ones, contact us at Blessed Home.