I'm curious because my dad is in a nursing home for respite. Do nursing homes use wipes or washcloths to clean patients after a bowel movement? If the latter, what do they do with the washcloths afterward?
What about disinfectant spray or air fresheners?
I couldn’t imagine that either but there it was today the aid using a washcloth to clean dad’s bm. I asked the aid, don’t you have wipes. The aid says no we don’t. Now I’m like asking myself will this washcloth become trash or is it practice to wash and reuse. (I don’t like that idea at all – not for anyone).
Then my daughter asked because the room was no longer fresh and we had brought him dinner if there was some disinfectant or air freshener available (forgot ours) and yet again the answer was no.
When dad lived with us he could tell us and use the potty. Was not using it on himself like he is now and he is only five days in.
The second issue I’m having with this nursing home is that they are allowing my dad to wander too much. He wanders but we use to redirect. The nursing home said they could handle this. I don't see this happening (seen with my own eyes.)
Meals times are always running late or I just missed.
I Googled about SNFs and air fresheners and apparently they're not used because they don't eliminate the source of odor, first of all, and secondly, they can be a source of irritation to asthmatics and create other health issues due to the chemical components! Makes sense too, doesn't it?
Why don't you ask the staff? I bring an air freshner for her room. I also leave a diffuser there. These are easy to obtain at Target. They have reasonable prices for them and are a decent quality. At Bed Bath and Beyond you can buy plug in odor products that work likely for at least a month.
Good reasons would include: upset bowel habit, deterioration in skin integrity.
Particularly if skin integrity is a concern, wash cloths are frowned on because they:
tend to be rough on fragile, older skin;
aren't as good as soft wipes (not baby wipes, soft disposable wipes designed for the purpose) for getting into crevices;
and - so the skin integrity nurses will tell you - can harbour pathogenic microbes.
Not my wash cloths [hoity-toity!] which are changed at each use, boil-washed and disinfected; but then again I wouldn't use them for personal care anyway.
What about disinfectant spray and air fresheners? Not on the person, I don't suppose you mean? Bathroom fittings I would expect to be cleaned and disinfected daily, if that's the question; air fresheners according to the resident's preference. Gentlemen often prefer an open window; and air fresheners (most scented products, come to that) should be avoided for people with respiratory issues because they can irritate.