Christine gave you wonderful advice and her article is very helpful. Keeping the environment calm, the temperature comfortable, soft music and other soothing approaches can help. There are also, now, on the market, dry shampoos that are quite effective and large "wipes" made for the whole body, so you may be able to keep the person clean without as much fuss as a frequent shower. This is one of those common, but tough issues that has no one answer for everyone.

Good luck,

Carol

This is a common challenge that many caregivers face.  First, the bathing routine should follow the same pattern as prior to the disease.  So, if your patient showered in the morning before breakfast, you should attempt to follow that schedule as much as you are able.  You want to set up the bathing experience for success, not failure.  So be mindful of the many possible issues that could be contributing to your patient's refusal to shower, such as fear of the water, unwillingness or lack of desire to get undressed, inability to understand or process the bathing experience, and/or disorientation to place.  Always approach your patient from the front, give clear and simple instructions, give verbal and visual cues, and be sure to provide privacy.   Generally, a good rule to go by is to maintain an individual's health while upholding dignity and right to quality of life. If your patient needs to be bathed regularly for medical reasons, such as to prevent skin breakdown or because of infections, then it is necessary to forge ahead and try various techniques to ease the process.  Having said all this, be aware of any behavioral changes or signals from your patient that perhaps bathing would not be a good idea at this time.  If there are no real health concerns, and your patient really prefers to shower or bathe less frequently than you would like, you may wish to "choose your battles" and consider other options, such as sponge or sink baths or disposable personal wipes for the time in-between real showers.