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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think a strip wash isn't very nice?

81 replies

Vanillachocolateyummy · 16/05/2015 14:01

As in a bowl, water, flannel and soap?

AIBU to think that if able people should be able to have a bath or a shower?

OP posts:

gamerchick · 16/05/2015 14:45

I'm not sure Quitelikely she said showers and baths 'dry her skin out so its scaly' and black skin shouldn't get that much water and stuff on it. I didn't really want to ask for in depth detail. She brought it up when we were visiting and she commented I went in every day.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 16/05/2015 14:45

You did drip feed and wrote a goady OP. Putting in a disclaimer of 'able' doesn't make it otherwise.

IF you are a carer and this is a real concern of yours, why didn't you write something like, "AIBU to think that people in my care should be given sufficient time/help to have a shower instead of a strip wash, if they want one?"

You would have had very different responses and I think you know that but I'll leave you to it, OP.

gamerchick · 16/05/2015 14:47

It is a crying shame that carers have to rush rush rush through their times.

FernGullysWoollyPully · 16/05/2015 14:48

I'm not really sure, assuming it would never happen. If it did, I would pick up the care that couldn't be afforded to them.

I helped my mum to nurse my not very able bodied grandma in her old age. She had carers come every day to help her wash and dress/undress twice a day. I understand that 10mins is no time at all and it's rubbish that the time isn't allocated. Me and my mum did all the bigger jobs like bathing and showering my gran but even then it was impossible to do that more than twice a week. Even that was very hard work.

From speaking with her carers, it is sad that they didn't feel they got the time to do more.

Original poster

Vanillachocolateyummy · 16/05/2015 14:48

The reason I didn't write that is that I am not a carer. I don't want to go into specifics.

OP posts:

DameDoom · 16/05/2015 14:48

hazeyjane what do you mean? I am not writing about anyone who has a physical challenge who can't wash. I have the utmost sympathy. Think the OP was getting at people who choose to smell bad when they have A CHOICE. They exist and it's not pleasant.

DameDoom · 16/05/2015 14:54

Just read the thread props. Am interested ,nay fascinated to discover when OP posted about being a carer...thought she was just mentioning stinkiness in general

ConfusedInBath · 16/05/2015 14:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CupidStuntSurvivor · 16/05/2015 15:01

Agree with lying. It is a drip feed thread. Because the OP doesn't convey what it is you're asking. "AIBU to think that I should be allocated more time to help clients with their personal hygiene needs should they prefer anything more than a quick wash" is what you're asking, isn't it?

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 16/05/2015 15:23

I'm a bit confused at why you're giving people strip washes if you're not a Carer OP but I am a Carer working in the community.

Obviously, as you know, many people are unable to get in & out of the bath or shower and/or are unable to access the bathroom (if it's upstairs for example).

But what you asked is why people with a choice would prefer a soap & flannel wash. IME, it can be because a strip wash can easily be done sitting down & without walking on a slippy surface (bottom of bath or shower tray) or just because someone else washing you takes up less of your limited energy than showering or bathing. It can be surprising how exhausting such things can be for a very elderly or disabled person.

Time doesn't really come in to it - a proper strip wash is no quicker than a shower IME. Yes, a bath usually takes a bit longer but 5 minutes under the water in the shower should be adequate surely? A full body wash with a flannel should take more than 5 mins. Drying and dressing a person is the same however they have washed.

There are no 15 minutes calls for personal care where I work though. 15 minute calls will either be to give medication only or just a wellbeing call (making sure the person is alive and well). Personal care calls will be a minimum of 30 minutes, which is much better. How anyone can help someone to wash, dry, dress, take medication & make breakfast plus complete the relevant paperwork in 15 minutes or less is beyond me.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 16/05/2015 15:26

Also, I have just remembered - one of my clients doesn't like to shower because her whole body gets wet at the same time which makes her feel cold.

With a strip wash you generally wash one bit, dry one bit & repeat .

Aeroflotgirl · 16/05/2015 15:28

For somewhere is no alternative as they are not able to move it get into a bath or shower.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 16/05/2015 15:35

You sound really empathetic and kind, Santas

MarvellousMarbles · 16/05/2015 15:40

Completely agree with you OP. I think it is appalling if a sick/disabled person is not given the option of being helped to have a bath or shower. I would absolutely hate to be forced to have a strip wash instead, and wouldn't feel at all clean.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 16/05/2015 15:41

Do I Lying? Thank you!

BlueBananas · 16/05/2015 15:51

I don't get why people choose to strip wash - surely it takes just as long as an actual shower and I imagine a shower would be less of a faff aswell?

alphabook · 16/05/2015 15:57

I'm an occupational therapist and I find there are a fair few people who prefer to strip wash and aren't even interested in discussing options for them to be able to use the shower or bath.

Personally I agree with you that I don't think strip washing is as nice as having a bath or shower. But unless someone has real difficulty getting to the bathroom and/or transferring into the shower/bath I don't see why showering takes longer than a strip wash at the sink - it's much easier to rinse someone off using a shower than with strip washing.

BMW6 · 16/05/2015 17:42

Perhaps if you account for the time it would take to help a person to the shower, undress them, get them securely into the shower, washed and rinsed, help them out (slippery when wet), dried, dressed and back to bed/chair a bed bath or strip wash would be much quicker? Plus if the person is quite infirm the prospect of a shower may be quite scary?

AliceInSandwichLand · 16/05/2015 17:50

I'm a carer for my mum, who lives with us. She has a bath once a week with a hoist. She doesn't want one oftener, because she finds it a tiring experience and feels she doesn't get very dirty as she doesn't do anything. In between she washes herself. This is how she grew up. She loathes showers, which weren't invented when she was little (she's nearly 89). A lot of infirm older people will not only find today's levels of hygiene tiring but will never have been used to it in the past anyway. Who knows what younger adults today will want in due course? I do think the under 35s on here generally expect to shower more often than the over 50s, even, let alone the very old. Of course there are lots of good reasons for either point of view, but I think a big part of it is just what you grew up expecting, surely?

Blueberrymuffint0p · 16/05/2015 18:27

I was given a strip wash after I'd given birth to ds. It felt lovely, reminded me of my childhood.

bigbluebus · 16/05/2015 20:10

When my DM returned home from hospital after breaking her hip, she had no option other than strip washing as she couldn't get in and out of the bath. She was fortunate in that she was able to self fund having the bath ripped out and a level access shower installed in its place but this took a couple of months to organise. During that time she continued to strip wash and wash her hair over the wash basin, rinsing it using a jug of water. It didn't bother her - she is of the generation (she's 86) that probably only bathed once a week anyway.

She now has carers coming in for 1/2 hour twice a week to supervise/help her shower. The rest of the time she just uses a flannel. It's fine for her but wouldn't be my choice.

What did make me cross though was that when she was in hospital, she didn't get any help to shower or wash her hair. Because she could walk to the bathroom, they seemed to assume she could get showered by herself - even though she had needed help with bathing at home before she broke her hip. The only time her hair got washed in hospital was when the mobile hairdresser came around and washed and cut mum's hair - and mum paid for that. SHe was in hospital for over 2 months.

Care should be person centred - not budget lead. If someone wants a shower/bath then sufficient care for that should be provided. 15 minute calls are only useful to just check someone is ok - not for actually carrying out any meaningful tasks.

Lara2 · 16/05/2015 21:12

Child of the '60's here - we had a bath once a week on a Sunday night, plus hair wash. In between washing at the sink. My parents too - they were a doctor and a nurse - knew about being clean. Don't remember anyone smelling

irretating · 16/05/2015 21:28

Just after Christmas our boiler broke down, it was strip washes for us all for a few days. They're not my favourite, I didn't feel properly clean until I was finally able to shower.

ADishBestEatenCold · 16/05/2015 21:33

I had to do this for months following a fairly serious operation. I got to like it so much, that I still do it a couple of times a week.

A deep basin of water, as a hot as I can bear, plenty of soap and a rough flannel ... really massaging, and then rinsing, my skin.

My skin actually feels super clean afterwards (in comparison with a bath or shower) and a lot smoother.

NorbertDentressangle · 16/05/2015 21:42

I had to have a strip wash a couple of months ago when our boier failed - it was horrible and I didn't feel clean all day.

The only other time I remember was when I broke my ankle. After 2 days of strip washing I devised a complicated way of having a proper bath with my leg propped up, It was hard work physically but boy was it worth it!

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