The Role of Personal Care for the Elderly
What is Personal Care for the Elderly
The purpose of personal care for the elderly is to ensure they remain healthy and that their wellbeing is supported. If someone can no longer keep themselves clean and hygienically presented then family, friends or caregivers should help them to do so. This is essential for their physical and emotional health as keeping clean can not only pose a physical risk but will also affect how we feel about ourselves mentally. As the NHS tells us, “Keeping yourself or someone you care for clean is essential. Poor hygiene can cause discomfort, skin complaints and infections, and can lower self-esteem.” Personal care isn’t just helping someone to wash, bathe or shower either. It can include washing and brushing hair, assisting them to shave, keeping their nails short, and ensuring they have clean clothes.

Benefits of Personal Care for the Elderly
As we get older, keeping ourselves clean and well-maintained can become more difficult. This becomes even more important, though, since older people are more susceptible to infection and illnesses that may occur if hygiene is not observed. Our carers can help with many aspects of personal care, including:
- Bathing/washing/showering
- Shaving
- Assistance with medication
- Toilet assistance
- Laundry
- Skincare
Essential Elements of Personal Care for the Elderly
Our carers will assist you with every aspect of your personal care routine, meaning you feel your best every day. They are discreet and supportive, minimising the risk of discomfort or embarrassment and continually focus on preserving your dignity. They’ll make sure that you’re in clean clothes, fresh bedding and your essential make-up every day, whether that’s your favourite lipstick or a fresh coat of nail polish. They’ll also support with:
Getting dressed
Helping you to choose the clothes you’d like to wear that day and supporting you to put them on
Oral hygiene
Helping you to brush your teeth, take care of dentures and all other aspects of oral hygiene
Foot care
Keeping your feet clean is essential for good health and general wellbeing, especially if you’re living with diabetes
Toileting and continence
Your carer can help you get to the toilet, as well as changing continence pads and catheter bags
Managing a stoma
Your carer will help you to manage your stoma, keeping it clean and changing your stoma bag
Moving in bed
Our carers can help you to move position in bed, minimising the risk of pressure sores and skin damage
Personal Care Supports Emotional Well Being
Maintaining someone’s dignity is essential for emotional wellbeing. It’s important to make sure that the person is always kept at the centre of their care experience and that their wishes are respected at all times. As the NHS says, “Be aware of the emotional state of the person you care for when you’re helping them wash. For example, some people are anxious about deep bath water.” Keeping the person’s wishes central to their personal care will reduce anxiety around bathing or showering. For instance, someone living with dementia may be fearful of a shower, not recognising it as something they had when they were younger. In such cases, alternatives should be found, such as a handheld shower unit.

Effective Personal Care for the Elderly
Promoting the person’s independence and encouraging them to do as much as they can for themselves will help them to feel more in control of their own routine. The person should always be asked what help they would like and be enabled to do things for themselves, as long as it is safe. Sticking to their routine is important, too. Asking them which shampoo, soap or shower gel they like to use or checking with a family member if the person cannot tell you will make the experience feel more familiar. It’s important to remember that not everyone will be comfortable undressing in front of other people, so being sensitive to their needs is essential. Approaching the topic carefully while keeping their dignity at the forefront of their personal care experience will deliver the best results.

How Personal Care Can Facilitate Ageing in Place
Remaining in your own home for your personal care needs will ensure that you are always at the centre of your care experience. You’ll receive one-to-one support from people you’ll get to know, which will help to minimise awkwardness and embarrassment around your personal care. We’ll get to know you well because we care for you as a person, unlike some companies who will see you as just another client who needs to be kept clean. For instance, your care plan will detail how you like to be supported during your personal care. This could include not leaving you alone in the bathroom, whether for safety reasons or because you become anxious, or not locking the door. We’ll follow your requirements exactly and tailor your experience to you.
Get the Expert Support You Need with Helping Hands
Because we’ve been delivering exceptional personal care for our customers since we were established in 1989, you’ll always be in the very best hands. We choose the most compassionate and caring people to join us so that you’ll be carefully looked after in the comfort of your own home. Remaining at home is a popular choice for many people because you get to remain living in the place that means the most to you, with loved ones and pets close by. We offer personalised care on both a visiting and live-in care basis, from a few hours a week up to 24-hour care. We design your support package around you and what you like to do, whether that’s crosswords, chatting over a cuppa, or exploring your local community. However you like to spend your days, we’ll spend them with you, keeping you company with the reassurance of care services fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission and the Care Inspectorate Wales. No wonder we’re the UK’s most trusted home care service.
