Why Won't A Person with Dementia Shower?

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10 reasons your partner living with dementia may not want to shower.

1. The environment is too cold.
2. The sensation of the water is uncomfortable or painful.
3. The sound of the water is scary.
4. The water appears to be invisible and is therefore scary.
5. They feel uncomfortable being in the nude.
6. They prefer baths over showers.
7. Not the time of day that they would normally take a shower.
8. The environment is unfamiliar and therefore anxiety-provoking.
9. Feelings of loss of control.
10. They simply may not feel like it at the time.

Bonus: They feel like they've already showered.

And, there can be many, many, many other reasons why!

If your partner is refusing to shower, it's typically because there is an unmet need that needs to be addressed first. If you can make the environment feel more safe, comfortable, and predictable—you may improve the chances of your partner wanting to shower.

For help navigating the challenge of getting someone with dementia to bathe, grab a Paw Pass to the Treehouse. There you can watch our webinar replay, "Navigating the Battle of Bathing with Dignity and Success in Dementia Care," and access all the corresponding resources.

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