Personal care at home, done with patience and privacy
Help with showering, dressing, toileting and grooming from a caregiver who knows how hard it is to accept, and makes it feel ordinary.
From our office in Cranford, serving Union County, NJ.
What personal care covers
Personal care is hands-on help with the most private parts of the day: bathing or showering, getting dressed, using the toilet, incontinence care, shaving, hair, teeth and skin. It's usually the help people resist longest, and the one that makes the biggest difference to how they feel.
Families often notice the signs before a parent says anything. The same clothes three days running. A shower that hasn't been used in a while. A rash, a smell, or a parent who has stopped going out because getting ready takes too long. These are common, and they're fixable.
The person who does this work is a personal care aide, and our page on what a personal care aide does covers the role itself. This page is about the help, and how we make it easier to accept. Personal care often sits in the same visit as homemaker services and companion care.
Planning around a Union County bathroom
Much of personal care is planned around the bathroom, and Union County bathrooms vary. In the center-hall colonials common in Cranford and Westfield, the bedrooms and the full bathroom are usually upstairs, and an old tub is harder to step into than a walk-in shower. In an Elizabeth two-family house or apartment, the bathroom may barely fit two people. At the free assessment we look at the bathroom first and plan bathing, shaving and the trip up the stairs around it.
Personal care is private, and language matters. In Elizabeth and across the county, many families speak a language other than English at home. If your parent would be more comfortable with a caregiver who speaks Spanish or another language, say so on the first call, so we can look for one before we match anyone.
What personal care includes
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Bathing and showering
Help in and out of the shower or tub, washing what they can't reach, and a shower chair or a sponge bath when standing is too hard.
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Dressing
Help with buttons, socks, shoes and compression stockings, in clothes they've chosen themselves.
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Toileting and incontinence
Help to and from the bathroom, changing pads and briefs, and cleaning up quietly, without a fuss.
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Grooming
Shaving, hair, nails, teeth or dentures, and lotion for dry skin.
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Skin checks
Noticing redness, sores or rashes during bathing and telling the nurse and the family.
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Eating
Meals cut up or set up, and help eating when hands don't cooperate.
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Getting around
A steady arm from bed to bathroom to kitchen.
How our caregivers keep it dignified
Accepting help in the bathroom is hard, especially from someone new. Our caregivers start slowly. On the first visits they might set out towels and stay close by, then do more as trust builds. If your parent would be more comfortable with a caregiver of a particular gender for personal care, tell us, and we'll take it into account when we match.
They keep covered whatever isn't being washed, let your parent do whatever they still can, say what they're about to do before they do it, and stick to the routine and the products your parent prefers. If your mother has always bathed in the evening, she still does.
Our guide to bathroom safety for seniors covers grab bars, shower chairs and the other changes worth making.
Why it's worth arranging
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Clean, comfortable, themselves again
A regular shower, fresh clothes and a shave do more for mood than most people expect.
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Safer bathrooms
A wet floor and a high tub edge are risky for anyone unsteady. Someone is right there.
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Problems caught early
A caregiver who helps with bathing sees skin, feet and swelling that might otherwise go unnoticed for weeks.
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Some help is easier from someone else
Adult children don't have to bathe a parent, which many people on both sides find hard.
How personal care starts
Bringing it up can be the hardest step. Some families start by calling it help around the house and let the bathing come later.
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Call us
Tell us what's become hard and how your parent feels about having help. We'll suggest how to bring it up.
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A nurse visits
During a free assessment, a registered nurse looks at the bathroom and bedroom, asks about routines and preferences, and writes the care plan.
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We match a caregiver
A kind caregiver whose manner suits your parent, and the same familiar face each visit whenever we can. If it isn't working, tell us and we'll make a change quickly.
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Visits on a schedule
A few mornings a week for a shower, or daily help getting up and ready for bed. The schedule can change as needs do.
What families are saying
As the daughter of an Always Responsive Home Care client, I'm grateful for the compassionate caregivers who helped my mom maintain her independence and dignity at home. Their attentiveness to her needs and warm rapport made a world of difference.
Questions about personal care
Still have a question? Call or text us. Someone is here to talk, any time of day.
(908) 691-3660 What is personal care for the elderly?
Personal care is hands-on help with daily self-care: bathing or showering, dressing, using the toilet, incontinence care, grooming, oral care and eating. It's provided at home by a trained caregiver, often called a personal care aide or home health aide, and it's non-medical. At Always Responsive Home Care, personal care follows a care plan written by a registered nurse.
How do I get my parent to accept help with bathing?
Start small and keep it practical. Many families introduce the caregiver as help with housework or errands and let bathing come once there's trust. Let your parent keep the choices they can still make, such as the time of day and the soap they use. A caregiver who keeps them covered, explains each step and doesn't rush makes the first showers much easier.
What are the signs an elderly parent needs help with personal care?
Common signs include wearing the same clothes for days, body odor or unwashed hair, a shower that isn't being used, skin rashes or sores, weight loss, falls or near-falls in the bathroom, and a parent who has stopped going out because getting ready is too tiring. Any one of these is worth a conversation; several together usually mean it's time for regular help.
What is the difference between personal care and companion care?
Personal care is hands-on help with the body, such as bathing, dressing, toileting and grooming, while companion care is company and help around the house without hands-on bodily care. Companion care covers conversation, outings, light housekeeping, meals and errands. Many people need some of both, and the same caregiver can usually provide both in one visit.
Can we ask for a female or male caregiver?
Yes, you can ask. Many people feel more comfortable with a caregiver of a particular gender for bathing and toileting. Tell Always Responsive Home Care when you call, and we'll take it into account when we match a caregiver.
Does Medicare pay for personal care at home?
Medicare does not pay for personal care such as bathing, dressing and help using the bathroom when that is the only care someone needs. It may cover part-time home health aide visits while someone is also getting skilled home health care that a doctor ordered. For ongoing personal care, families pay Always Responsive Home Care directly, and we file any long-term care insurance claims so the policy reimburses them.
Can we ask for a caregiver who speaks Spanish or another language?
Yes. Ask when you call our Cranford office, and we'll tell you before care starts whether a caregiver who speaks your parent's language is available for the days and hours you need. Many older adults accept help with bathing and dressing more easily from someone they can talk with comfortably.
Let's talk about care for your family
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