My mom has been too unsteady to get into the shower, plus it is uncomfortable for her and she gets freezing cold. Thankfully, the Hospice CNA comes once a week and gets her all washed up. However, when I was sitting with mom this afternoon, I realized how badly she needed her hair washed. I had no idea how to attempt that without getting her in the shower, so I looked it up on YouTube and found some very helpful videos. I talked to mom about it and she agreed to give it a try, as long as she didn’t have to get all wet. She sat in her wheelchair which was the most comfortable, and I started by wrapping her up in a big towel. Then, I covered that with a plastic trash bag that I cut open. I put more towels on her lap and on any exposed parts of the wheelchair. I filled up the sink with hot water and drenched a washcloth. I put the washcloth on her head to get her hair wet. I had to do that several times. Once her hair was wet, I used a small amount of shampoo and gave her head a good – but gentle – scrubbing. After that, I used the same washcloth technique until the shampoo was rinsed out. I put in a tad of conditioner, worked it through, and left it in. Then I styled it as usual. It wasn’t as good as getting in the shower, but her hair and head were definitely cleaner. It was easier than I anticipated it would be. Mom enjoyed the pampering, the clean feeling, and the fact that she didn’t get wet and cold. It was a blessing all around.

I Found God today being able to help my mom get a shampoo.