Hello, I care for mum full time since she has progressed to late stages of dementia. Mum has always kept her hair clean and styled every day until she started to forget some days and so on…I took over the hair washing and styling and she was happy to comply. Since she has progressed to late stages, I was required to assist with showering and all the rest. She had a 3 month stint in a care home recently to rehabilitate from a bad case of pneumonia and it seems she was not provided with the same treatment. Mum is home now and for whatever reason absolutely refuses to get in the shower with or without my assistance. Mum will allow me to sponge bathe her and as long as shes clean, this is as good as we can get, however hair washing has become near impossible, when all we need is for it to be clean and her to be comfortable. The shampoo caps make her hair feel horrible and she started pulling at her hair because she didnt like the feel and just wasnt suitably clean. Same with the Nilaqua towel off liquid. She hated the feel of the residue that was left over and began yanking at her hair as if she wanted it off her head all together. I purchased a backwash on a stand with a shower head attachment, thinking she could sit in a chair I could give her a salon-like hair wash, but again refused to lean back and keep her head where it needed to be. We both eanded up in a large puddle and completely soaked. Not to mention the stress this is causing her. Cut to today, I had a brainwave. I had just bought a few of those continuous spray bottles that I use for my own hair styling. I filled both with warm water, and added some 2in1 shampoo and conditioner to one of them and mixed it up. Covered mum in a few towels while she sat on a a folding chair in the kitchen. I didnt need her to lean back or anything, she just sat there watching tv while I soaked her hair with the shampoo solotion, enough to lather it all together, gave her a gentle scalp massage to make sure it was covered (she fell asleep at this point) and then I did the same with the bottle with just water. It rinsed out all the shampoo and it left it feeling so clean. Towel dried and then used the hair dryer to finish off. Her hair is so clean and lovely now, i even managed to chop a chunk off the ends,m she was that relaxed. I think the secret was in the continuous spray bottle as you can barely feel the spray and it didn’t shock her or make her jump being sprayed. I dont know if I’m bragging or just feel the need to share my mini win, but I feel like I’ve accomplished something incredible. The battle has been unreal and I just wanted to share incase anyone else was having a similar issue. I hope this helps
Awww @ZoeM that’s SO good! I completely get it about the shampoo caps! Her falling asleep is the best testimonial of how well you did - what a relaxing spa moment for her.
Saving this tip to share with others! When you said ‘Continuous spray bottle’ can you share the one you use.
This made me think of when I was a kid and Mum used to put that ring thing on my head because I hated getting soap in my eyes! Those were the green bottled Vosene days!
Bravo @ZoeM thanks for sharing!
M hated having his hair washed. When he was little I’d lay him on the kitchen worktop, use the bowl in the kitchen sink. When he was bigger I did it in the bath, one day he screamed so much the little girl next door asked what I was doing to him.
Later he understood that if he wanted to go on daddy’s steam roller his hair got dirty and it would ruin his bedding, so like it or not, he was having his hair washed!!!
What a good idea, ZoeM! My caree can still wash her hair whilst leaning over the bath, but if we reach the stage where she can no longer do this, this sounds like a very practicable solution. I’ll keep a note of your post. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.
Thank you for the tip! I’ve just ordered two different sizes, for refresh between washes.
Mum has no core strength now but when she could sit in a wheelchair, I have pushed her up to the sink and been through the same let’s get drenched dance
If she isn’t in the right mood, Mum will push off the shampoo cap (disposable, but I put in the wash and reuse) off her head so I am trying the shampoo wraps instead.
