Tips and tricks for nurses during COVID-19
How to Get a Senior to Wash Their Hands Often
When I was a kid, my parents used to pay special attention to washing hands. I should have washed them before meals, after playing outside or after using a restroom. I must confess, I was not so happy washing my hands that often and was always looking for excuses for not doing it. Now I am a nurse and take care of elderly people and their health. I understand that proper hand hygiene plays a critical role in infection control. It prevents the spread of any viruses and bacteria. Diligent handwashing is one of the preventative actions for viruses, such as COVID-19.
Older people, especially those with weak immune systems, are at higher risk of catching the coronavirus. As nurses, we need to take all preventative measures, frequent and effective handwashing.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for hand hygiene, a person should wash their hands at least 10 times a day. But, our experience shows that most seniors refuse washing their hands at all — even after using the restroom. Hand sanitizers can be a saver but we need to find ways to get them to wash their hands with soap and running water. In this article we want to share 5 tips and tricks which proved to be working:
1. Don’t tell a senior to use soap. Just squirt some directly onto their hands.
Seniors usually feel like they are being treated like a child. They get frustrated when we always remind them that they need to wash their hands. Less instructing sometimes works best; it helps preserve their dignity.
2. Wash hands together with a senior.
Put some soap in your own hands and wash their hands with yours. You can say your hands needed cleaning, too.
3. Find a soap with a nice smell and make it a moment of enjoyment.
Good smell can become a nice part of washing hands.
4. Tell the senior that the doctor has instructed to wash hands several times a day.
Seniors tend to trust doctors more and often try to follow their instructions. The magic phrase ‘The doctor says you should…’ makes magic with seniors. Make it a routine like taking a medicine.
5. Put up a handwashing sign in a visible place as a reminder.
In case of dementia and Alzheimer’s, seniors often get distracted and forget about hand washing. They don’t realize they haven’t washed their hands. You can post the signs in the toilet, kitchen.
Hand hygiene is important at any age. It takes a little practice and commitment to make handwashing a frequent part of the senior care plan.
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