To keep your loved one with Alzheimer’s in decent health (including dental care), it is important for you to continue to provide for their basic hygiene. If your dad is in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease, he is going to be relying on you to keep him looking and feeling as good as possible. By taking a few simple precautions when dealing with hygiene in the patient, you will help to stop sores, infection, scratches, and a dirty body and hair.

Here are some key tips to remember:

  • Hair and Skin Care; You should keep the hair clean with a wash once per week. You can do it more often if his hair is becoming dirty. But you do not need to wash his hair on a daily basis in most cases. He probably is not as active as he once was, so he will not need to have that done as often. If your loved one has longer hair, you should consider having it cut a lot shorter to prevent it from getting dirty, or from getting food in it. You also are going to want to treat any skin problems in the scalp, such as dermatitis or dandruff.

There are many good Alzheimer’s hair products   available that can make hair washing and styling much easier:

Your loved one will have more problems with incontinence as the disease progresses, so it will become necessary to often wash both the skin and hair. It is a good idea to regularly wash the skin with soap that does not have any smell. Also, be sure to keep their skin dry when they are not being bathed. The skin of the elderly is more delicate and it needs to be cared for carefully, especially in those with Alzheimer’s.

  • Mouth Care: People with Alzheimer’s disease will not remember to care for their teeth anymore, and this can lead to serious dental problems. If your loved one has problems with his teeth, then he can get infections, which can lead to a  lot of pain. This will mean he will not want to eat, and he can then become ill because of poor food intake.

Make sure that you are having your loved one get a dental check up twice per year, and help them to brush their teeth twice per day. Ensure that their toothbrush is in good shape and is clean, and if they wear dentures, be sure they are fitting properly in the mouth.

  • Ear Care: Cleaning of the outer ear during bath time is a good idea because it will prevent infections. Deafness as the disease progresses is a problem, so you want to be sure that their hearing aids are kept up and are clean. Remember that hearing is important even in the later stages of dementia, so be sure that you are not ignoring the care of the ears and hearing aids.