- Forget whether they have already washed their hair or body.
- Become confused about the order of familiar bathing steps.
- Struggle to use shampoo, soap, or other everyday bathroom products correctly.
- Need repeated reminders to finish a routine they have performed for years.
- Seem unusually confused about what to do next.
According to the National Institute on Aging, difficulty completing familiar daily activities, including bathing, can occur in people with Alzheimer’s disease. However, bathing difficulties are not specific to Alzheimer’s and may have many other explanations.
Why Can a Familiar Routine Become Difficult?
Alzheimer’s disease affects brain functions involved in memory, reasoning, and other thinking skills. As these abilities change, activities that once happened automatically may require more concentration or become harder to organize.
Showering involves several steps: preparing the water, choosing the right products, washing different parts of the body, rinsing, and drying off. Someone experiencing cognitive difficulties may struggle to remember the sequence or work out what to do next.
