Abigail Keenan
Unit 26. Principles of supporting an individual to maintain personal hygiene.
Personal hygiene is important to keep the client healthy, and reduce the risk of infection. Lack of personal hygiene would cause a risk of infection to the client. The client would have more self-esteem if they have had a full wash in the mornings, are more likely to feel better in themselves and be more willing to see visitors. If they have not had their personal hygiene needs met they may not want to see anybody and this would make them feel more isolated which may affect their recovery.
It is important to ask the client how they like their personal hygiene needs to be carried out. What they like to do themselves and what they would like us to do. If they decline any help with personal hygiene and they cannot complete it themselves it may be because they are embarrassed to have someone help/do it for them. It is important to ask the client what it is they are worried about, and reassure them that we will not do anything they are uncomfortable with. And we will treat them with the same dignity and respect as we would expect ourselves. It is important to build a rapport with clients so they feel more comfortable with you undertaking their personal hygiene needs.
It is important that clients understand why we need to complete personal hygiene needs, explaining the risk of infection to themselves and us as workers going in to them. It also helps if you emphasis how they will feel better and fresher after having a wash, being persuasive but not pushy.
If you have a client that does not take good care of their personal hygiene needs. Or is struggling it is important to have a conversation with them. They may have underlying issues such as low self esteem. They may also have the wrong toiletries they may have memory problems and be forgetful that they havnt washed, or have mobility problems which make it hard to do personal care needs. Find out why it is that they do not or do not want us to do their personal care. Explaining the benefits both for health
