Personal care assistance in Indianapolis means a trained caregiver helps your loved one with the most private parts of the day: bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and getting in and out of bed. Done well, it keeps a person clean, safe and comfortable while protecting their dignity and their say in how things are done. This guide explains what personal care involves, how to tell when it is needed, and how to make it feel respectful rather than intrusive.
Key takeaways
- Personal care covers hands-on help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and moving around the home.
- The bathroom is a common place for falls, so safety equipment and a steady helper matter.
- Dignity comes from choice, privacy, routine and letting the person do as much as they can for themselves.
- Non-medical personal care is usually arranged privately; Medicare does not cover it when it is the only care needed.
What personal care assistance includes
Personal care is non-medical, hands-on support with what clinicians call activities of daily living. Depending on the person, a caregiver may help with:
- Bathing and showering: setting up the bathroom, helping in and out of the tub or shower, washing hard-to-reach areas, or giving a sponge bath
- Dressing: choosing weather-appropriate clothes, managing buttons and zippers, putting on shoes and compression socks
- Grooming: hair care, shaving, oral and denture care, nail care that does not require a clinician, applying lotion
- Toileting and continence care: help getting to the bathroom, changing briefs, keeping skin clean and dry
- Mobility and transfers: getting out of bed or a chair, walking with a walker, repositioning
- Eating: setting up meals and helping as needed
Personal care often sits alongside other help such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders and companionship, so one caregiver visit can cover several needs at once.
Signs your parent may need help with personal care
Older adults rarely announce that bathing has become hard. More often, families notice small changes during visits:
- Wearing the same clothes for several days, or clothes that are stained
- Body odor, unwashed hair or a strong smell of urine in the home
- Skipping showers because “I’m not going anywhere”
- Bruises, or a story about a near-fall in the bathroom
- Long fingernails or toenails, or untreated skin problems
- Difficulty getting up from a chair or the toilet
Any one of these can have a simple explanation. Several together usually mean bathing and dressing have become tiring, painful or frightening. Our list of 7 signs your loved one may need home care support covers other early warnings. If you notice a sudden change, mention it to their doctor, since it can point to an underlying health issue.
Why bathroom safety comes first
The CDC reports that falls are the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older, and that about 1 in 4 older adults report falling each year. Wet floors, high tub walls and low toilets make the bathroom a natural trouble spot. A few changes make a big difference:
- Grab bars by the toilet and in the shower (towel bars are not built to hold a person’s weight)
- A non-slip mat inside and outside the tub
- A shower chair or tub transfer bench and a handheld shower head
- A raised toilet seat or toilet safety frame
- Night lights between the bedroom and bathroom
- A water heater set low enough to prevent scalding
For more ideas, see our guide to fall prevention, home modifications and care support. An occupational therapist can also recommend equipment for a specific person.
How to protect dignity during personal care
Accepting help with bathing or toileting is a real loss of privacy, and many older adults resist it at first. These approaches, many drawn from the Alzheimer’s Association’s bathing guidance, help care feel respectful for anyone, with or without memory loss.
Offer real choices
“Would you like to shower now or after breakfast?” “The blue sweater or the gray one?” Small choices keep the person in charge of their own day.
Keep them covered
Use a towel or bath blanket over the parts of the body not being washed, and keep the bathroom warm. Feeling exposed and cold is one of the most common reasons people refuse a bath.
Let them do what they can
If your mother can wash her face and arms, hand her the washcloth. If your father can button his shirt with extra time, give him the time. Doing for someone what they can still do for themselves speeds up loss of independence.
Follow their routine
If your dad always showered at night, a morning bath will feel wrong. Match the time of day, products and order of steps they have used for years.
Watch the words
“Let’s freshen up before lunch” lands better than “You need a bath.” Talk through each step calmly, and if the person becomes upset, pause and try again later.
Consider who helps
Some people are more comfortable with a caregiver of the same sex, or with someone who is not their own child. Many families find that a professional caregiver actually makes personal care easier on the relationship.
Personal care for people living with dementia
Dementia can make bathing and dressing especially hard. A person may not recognize the need to wash, may feel frightened by running water, or may forget the steps of getting dressed. Helpful strategies include laying out clothes in the order they go on, using simple one-step instructions, choosing easy clothing such as elastic waists and slip-on shoes, and using sponge baths or no-rinse products between full baths. Consistency in who helps and when matters a great deal.
Personal care assistance in Indianapolis with Aken
Aken Home Health and Home Care provides personal care assistance in Indianapolis and nearby communities such as Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, Avon, Plainfield and Greenwood. Visits can be a few hours on set days, daily morning and evening help, or longer shifts. For people who need help around the clock, see our 24-hour home care services. We start by learning your loved one’s routines and preferences so that care fits the person, not the other way around.
For questions about payment, call us to talk through your options. In general, Medicare does not pay for personal care when it is the only care someone needs, so most families arrange it privately or through other programs they qualify for.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between personal care and companion care?
Companion care focuses on company, conversation, errands and light help around the house. Personal care adds hands-on assistance with bathing, dressing, toileting and transfers.
How often should an older adult bathe?
There is no single rule. Many older adults do well with a full bath or shower two or three times a week and daily washing of the face, hands, underarms and private areas. Their doctor can advise if skin conditions or incontinence call for a different routine.
What if my parent refuses help with bathing?
Start with the least intrusive help, such as setting up the bathroom and waiting nearby. Offer choices, keep them covered and warm, and try a different time of day. Sometimes a professional caregiver is accepted more easily than a family member.
Can a personal care aide give medications?
Non-medical caregivers can typically provide reminders, but administering medications or giving injections is a nursing task. If your loved one needs medication management, ask about skilled nursing services.
Aken Home Health and Home Care serves Indianapolis and surrounding counties. Call our office at 317-734-3934 (Mon to Fri, 8am to 5pm) or our 24/7 line at 574-320-4705, or request a free consultation.
