Resident knows the difference between the two always pick bed bath over shower. Nurses has even asked yet still No for shower. Administrations even asked to be showered still answer is No. Yet to please family member, have CNA shower said resident against their will anyways cause family member always complaining about something.
What's the reason for them not wanting to take an actual shower? Does the resident have dementia?
What state is this facility in?
People refuse showers, then refuse bedbaths, refuse repositioning, then refuse having soiled continence products changed.
Allowing a person in your care to stay immobile, unwashed & soiled is neglectful. Yet..
You need concent to proceed.
'Duty of Care VS Dignity of Choice' this conundrum is called.
Sorry I have no easy answer for you. It can use the best skills of the CNAs to offer choices & negotiate. Maybe a little trickery too.
It becomes about duty and care. There were many times over the 25 years I was a caregiver where I literally had to force a client into the shower and if not an actual shower, then at least a sponge bath with a clean diaper and clean clothes.
Sometimes a little intimidation was necessary. Believe me, a person recovers a lot easier from a little intimidation then they do from incontinence sores, skin infections, or UTI's.
When you have the consent of whoever is making the decisions for the person, do what you need to do.
I will not leave a person sitting in their own mess or stinking from not washing and wearing filthy clothes. More than a few times where I had 'stubborn' care clients with dementia where I literally had to shove their hand down their diaper and pull up a fistful of sh*t and put it right under their noses to get them compliant with being washed up and changed.
It's all about the caregiver's judgment and being able to triage needs. Getting the soiled diaper changed and some degree of washing up is the higher priority than making a person get up.
The resident chooses to have a bed bath - that's good enough.
Talk to the administrator.
Call APS (Adult Protective Services)
Gena / Touch Matters
The elderly person has expressed a preference for a bed-bath, which is offered at the facility where they are being looked after. That should be respected, as it is generally sufficient for their health and wellbeing.
The other people living in the facility and the roommates of these people should not have to live with the disgusting stink of someone who won't wash or wear clean clothes. So, yes they should be forced to shower or at least wash us and wear clean clothes.
Are you a care worker at the facility in question?
If so, tread lightly in order to keep your job and not make any enemies at work.
However, if you are concerned, can you call elderly social services (or the equivalent in your country) and give information anonymously?
An elderly person's preferences should be taken into account and respected. The only time that this wouldn't be the case is if the elderly person is covered in a noxious substance, such as excrement, to the extent that a bed bath would be insufficient and the person's health is at risk.
It is unlikely that's the case here, as the elderly person is aware enough to make a decision about their personal hygiene care.
The patient may be difficult to move or they may be in pain.