Skin Care for the Elderly

Bathing

• In many long term care nursing facilities, elderly patients are assigned one or two days a week for a bath or shower, and are washed up in their rooms twice a day on the days in between. The skin of an elderly patient does not contain as much oil as it once did, though, and therefore the temperature of the water should be warm rather than hot; if it's too warm, any oil left in their skin can be washed away, leaving their skin more susceptible to breaking open, which can lead to infection.
  You should also use a mild soap when washing them; this is not as harsh on their skin and helps prevent it from becoming dry. Some patients require the use of special soaps and shampoo  such as Nizoral; this is made especially for those who suffer from specific skin conditions such as eczema.

• Moisturize

  • Due to the loss of natural oils in the skin, it is necessary to apply lotion after a bath and multiple times through the day. When an elder's skin becomes dry, it begins to itch. The more he scratches, the more likely his skin is to break open, leaving room for bacteria to move in and infection to take place. Using a moisturizer regularly helps reduce the itchiness, thus reducing the likelihood of infection.

  
  
  

  Observe and Report

  • As you are providing skin care, you need to be observant of any changes in your patient's skin. From moles that have changed shape to a new area that has broken down and torn apart, it all needs to be reported immediately. The sooner she receives treatment for her condition, the better her chances are for a complete recovery.

  
  
  Read more: Skin Care for the Elderly | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/way_5484310_skin-care-elderly.html#ixzz1ewIgcxhM