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Early morning care or AM care.
Before breakfast.
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Morning care
After breakfast.
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Afternoon care.
During the afternoon.
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Evening care or PM care.
Before bedtime.
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- Assistisng with hygiene (face and hand washing afternoon, and at bedtime. Morning care includes oral
hyigiene, bathing, and perineal care.)
- Helping residents change into sleepwear (evening care)
- Providing back massages (morning care and evening care)
- Oral hygine is given on awakening, after meals, and at bedtime. Many people practice oral hygiene before meals. Some persons need mouth care every 2 hours or more. periodontal disease ( gum disease)
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- Oral hygiene keeps the mouth clean and moist. It also helps prevents infection.
- Use sponge swabs to apply the cleaning agent. After cleaning, apply lubricant to the lips.
- To prevent aspiraion, ostion the person on one side with the head turened well to the side.
- Keep the person's mouth open weith a padded tongue blade. Do not use your fingers.
- Always assume that unconscious persons can hear. Explanin what you are doing step-by-step.
- Give mouth care at least every 2 hours. Follow the nurse's directions and the care plan.
Dentures are cleaned as often as natural teeth. Dentures lose their shape in hot water.
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- Dry skin occurs with aging. Soap also dries the skin. Dry sin is easily damaged. Therefore older persons
usually need a complete bath or shower 2 times a week. Partial baths are taken the other days.
- Some bathe daily but not with soap. Through rinsing is needed when using soap. Lotions and oils
help keep the skin soft.
- Wash form cleanest to the dirtiest areas.
- Pat the skin dry to avoid irritating or breaking the skin. Do not rub the skin.
- Use caution when applying powder. Do not use powders near persons with respiratory disorders.
To safely apply powder:
- Do not shake or sprinkle powder onto the person.
- Turn away from the person.
- Sprinkle a small amount of powder onto your hands or a cloth.
- Apply the powder in a thin layer.
- - Bed bath: 110 to 115 F
- - The partial bath involves bathing the face, hands, axilae (underarms), back, buttocks, and perineal
- area.
- - You give partial baths to persons who cannot bathe themselves.
- - A Tub bath can cause a person to feel faint, weak, or tired.
- - These are greater risks for persons who were on bed rest. A bath lasts no longer than 20 minutes.
- - Whirlpool tubs have special lifts. The person is transported to the tub room in a special wheelchair or
- stretcher.
- - Dry the person after the bath.
- - Have the person use grab bars when gettin in and out of the tub. The person must not use towel
- bars for support.
- - Turn cold water on first, then hot water. Turn hot water on first, then cold water.
- - Adjust water temperature and pressure to prevent chillin opr burns. Do this before the person gets
- into the shower.
- - Avoid using bath olis they make the tub and shower surfaces slippery.
- - Never let weak or unsteady perons stand in the shower. They need to use a shower chair.
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- The back massage (back rub) relaxes muscles and stimulates circulation.
- Back massages last 3 to 5 minutes. Observe the skin before the massage.
- Warm lotion before applying it.
- The prone postions is best for a massage. The side lying position is often used for older and disabled
persons. Use firm strokes. Always keep your hands in contact with the person's skin. After the
massage, apply some lotion to the elbows, knees, and heels.
- Back massages are dangerous for persons with certain heart diseases, back injuries, back surgeries,
skin diseases, and some lung disorders.
- Do not massage bony areas that are reddened. Reddened areas signal skin breakdown and ressure
ulcers. Massage can lead to further tissue damage.
- Wear gloves if the person's skin is not intact.
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Involves cleaning the genital and anal areas.
Perineal care.
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Work from th cleanest area to the dirtiest. This is commonly called cleaning from "front to back." The urethral area (the front) is the cleanest. The anal area (the back) is the dirtiest. Therefore clean from the urethra to the anal area. Use warm water, not hot. Rinse throughly. Pat dry after rinsing.
- Perineal Care
- - Usually 105 to 109 F
- - Start at the meatus of the urethra, and work outward.
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