Aid for cleaning

Herald said:

Hello everybody.  I'm new to the forum and wondered whether anyone could help me with a question that might help my dad (and my mum).  Dad has Lewy Body Dementia which gives him symptoms similar to Parkinson's.  His mobility is severely restricted.  He also has a bad back which restricts his movement.  My mum and I (both his carers) have realised recently that his mobility is affecting his ability to clean himself after going to the toilet. Unfortunately, due to longstanding haemorrhoids, he needs to have a bath after he has been to the toilet.  We think (because he won't tell us) that he has difficulty cleaning himself in that area when he's in the bath.  As a result, Mum finds poo on the sheets every morning, giving her extra work with cleaning the bedsheets.  I have suggested to Mum that she ask my father to wear boxer shorts/pyjama bottoms in bed so at least that cuts down on the washing.  However, we wondered whether anyone could recommend an aid that will help him with reaching to his bottom area so that at least he can try to clean himself.  Or maybe make another suggestion that we could consider.  Thank you for reading this. 

Contact your local NHS Occupational Therapy team—they’ll assess your dad’s needs for free. For wiping, try a bottom wiper with a long handle; it’s bendy and easy to grip. Boxer shorts for bed are a smart start.