Unsafe Bathing ConditionsPresent Safety MeasuresBoth individuals and care-providers do take precautionary measures to ensure safe bathing conditions. For example, most bathers and care-providers place slip-resistant bath mats inside and outside the tub to prevent skidding and falling. Those with grab-bars in the tub area hold on to these bars when bathing. Many people make sure that hotel bathrooms have grab-bars before reservations are made. Most people ensure safety by being very careful about every activity. Care-providers ensure safety by remaining vigilant and remaining with the person all the time. Home care-providers wear sneakers in the bathroom and ensure good illumination in the bath area.Constant Stresses and FearsFalling and colliding with hard, pointed fixtures were the most common of all fears. People were afraid of falling while standing in the shower, during transferring in and out of the tub, and while holding on to a grab-bar. Some were afraid of getting scalded because of misjudging the water temperature. One person had abandoned tub-oriented bathing because of her fear about not being able to exit.Both care-providers and clients experience physical and emotional stress due to bathing. The most common stress is physical. People get tired during and after showering, and they experience shortness of breath. Non-ambulatory clients tire themselves easily from movement and from the level of activity that is demanded by being bathed. Most home care-providers get fatigued by bathing clients, assisting them during transfer, and from bending over. Many experience serious emotional stress. This is because they develop a family-like bonding with their clients. The emotional stress results from the personal nature of the service they perform and it is further heightened by the long hours of client contact and proximity they maintain.Many family care-providers experience very high levels of mental stress from providing care to their relatives. Emotional stress is the most difficult part of being a family care-provider, who sometimes are themselves older and have other family responsibilities. In addition to looking after other family members, many work outside their homes as well. Consequently, they feel pressured to meet their obligations. Most of them are exhausted from providing constant attention and are burdened from having to contend continually with family care. Often, lack of acknowledgment from the one receiving care greatly escalates the level of emotional stress.Client-related stress varies with: •size, shape and physical condition of the client, and •the level of nervousness, cooperation, and willingness the client may display during bathing. Environment-related stress is dependent on: •the availability of transferring devices, and •physical features of the bathroom such as the tub height, presence of sliding glass doors, bathroom layout, narrow width of clearances, floor conditions and low lighting level. Care-provider related stress is a function of height, weight and physical condition of the care-provider, and the time pressure resulting from trying to complete all tasks quickly.
Tags: Bathroom, Common, Every, Features, Most, Part
