The Beacon

Hair Care At Home

Article Date: May – The Beacon Online

by Starr Calo–oy

If your loved one is able–bodied and doesn’t mind a ride in the car, it will be easier to go to the hairdresser than to attempt doing it yourself at home.

Most elderly women have always taken pride in having their hair freshly rolled and styled weekly and these memories are among the last to go. If your loved one is a woman and isn’t lying in bed most of the time, it’s important that you continue this weekly ritual as long as possible.

Men, as well, have gone to the barbershop for their haircuts most of their lives, so try to keep this up.

A bed–bound women should receive a very short haircut, stylishly done, to prevent matting on the back of her head. It’s also easier to keep clean when it’s short. At this point, vanity takes a back seat to practicality. By the same token, men need this too.

Both men and women need their eyebrows to be trimmed back. Women need facial hair removed as soon as it is visible. For ears, eyebrows, nape of the neck hair and light facial hair, purchase the battery operated hair trimmers like Micro–Touch in your local pharmacy. They are quick, silent and great for the hard to get to places.

When we were doing care in our home, we’d have a hairdresser come to our home for a beauty day a few times a month. You can too. Just call or visit one of the local beauty shops close to your home or haircut salons and ask to make a few dollars on their day off by coming over and servicing your loved one.

How do you shampoo a bed–bound patient? Purchase a no–rinse shampoo. Get it at your pharmacy. Simply pour it on his head and rub it in, then towel dry. It’s that simple.

With the right supplies and equipment that are on the market in this high–tech day and age we live in today, it’s not difficult to keep your loved one well–groomed and clean with a little creativity and care. For more tips, get our caregiving tip books below!

Starr & Bob Calo–oy cared for the terminally ill and people with different forms of dementia in their own home for 25 years and are the authors of 4 caregiving books. Starr hosts Caregiving 101 and Marriage 101 on Great Day Sunday on KENS–TV 5 every Sunday morning and both of the Calo–oy’s host 2, one–hour radio talk shows on KKYX–680am every Saturday morning; Caregiving 101 & Marriage 101. Starr & Bob are retired preachers make numerous appearances on television all over America and are the proud parents of 10 children. They are currently working on 3 books, give free marriage classes in their home and provide free caregiving coaching and marriage counseling. You can reach them from their websites at www. caregiversadvice.net, www.marriage101.net or call 210.521.8668.

Starr writes monthly for “The Beacon” – a San Antonio Christian Newspaper. The Beacon online at: The Beacon.