Difficulties performing personal care and bathing

Dementia may also affect the person’s ability to wash their hair and take a shower or a bath. A person living with dementia may view assistance with personal care as a threat to his or her privacy, safety and security, and may refuse or resist any help.

Let’s look at an example

Feng has Alzheimer’s disease and is cared for by his wife Yuan. Due to her age, Yuan is not strong enough to help bathe Feng anymore, so the family decides that the three sons-in-law could take turns to help with Feng’s weekly bath.

The oldest son-in-law is very kind to Feng and reassures him that he will make him comfortable during the bath. He takes Feng to the bathroom and starts to undress him. Feng suddenly pushes him away, shouts at him and tells him to go away.