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How Often Should an Older Adult Shower?

Personal Care at Home Pompano Beach FL-How often should an older adult take showers? You might be surprised to discover your mom really only needs to shower a couple of times a week. Personal care at home providers can help her with this activity.

Your mom is used to two showers a day. She’s been doing that for years. As you age, your skin changes. Collagen production diminishes, and skin is drier and thinner. Her skin is really dry and her doctor says her skincare routine needs to change. How often should an older adult take showers? You might be surprised to discover your mom really only needs to shower a couple of times a week. Personal care at home providers can help her with this activity.

Doctors Recommend Two or Three Showers a Week

Personal Care at Home Pompano Beach FL – How Often Should an Older Adult Shower?

The guidelines for healthy skin are to shower no more than two or three times a week. More than that can lead to dry skin. Dry skin is an issue as any cracks or splits in the skin increase the risk of infection. Instead of daily showers, showering every other day is a good starting point.

What if your mom is extremely active and becomes sweaty or does something that gets her dirty? Activities like mowing the lawn with a push mower or cleaning the basement change that. She can take an extra shower to remove the dirt, sweat, and grime. If she deals with incontinence and has an accident, she could also have an extra shower.

If your mom is used to daily showers, it’s time to get her to change. She can use an unscented baby wipe to clean more delicate areas in between showering days.

When your mom showers, she doesn’t want to have hot water. It should be just warm enough to avoid a chill, but it shouldn’t be turning her skin pink. Once she’s done in the shower, she should apply a moisturizer while her skin is still damp and pat her skin dry rather than rubbing it.

Choose Gentle Products

In addition to not over-showering, your mom should use gentle products that don’t dry the skin. Avoid soaps and body washes that contain parabens as that can accumulate and slow collagen production. Collagen production already shows as you age, so parabens are best avoided.

Get used to reading labels on skincare products. If an item contains alcohol or fragrance, it’s going to be more drying. Instead, look for natural moisturizers in your body washes and skin lotions like olive oil, almond oil, and shea butter.

If your mom sees a dermatologist each year for skin cancer screenings, she should ask her dermatologist for recommended products. You might be surprised to learn that her dermatologist recommends simple products like water for washing her facial skin, goat’s milk soap for the body, and coconut oil as a moisturizer.

Hire Personal Care at Home Providers

Does your mom shower independently or is help required? If you’re having a hard time arranging your daily routine to be there for your mom, there’s a better option. Call our personal care at home specialist and ask about personal care at home services. Caregivers cover a range of personal care at home needs.

If you or a family member need to hire Personal Care at Home Services in Pompano Beach FL, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. We provide service in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Coconut Creek, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Margate, Pompano Beach, and Tamarac.

Stephen Sternbach

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