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Nvq Level 2 Health and Social Care Essay

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ASSESSMENT ONE
Explain why personal hygiene is important
Personal hygiene is essential for good health and well being
Having a clean and respectable appearance and pleasant environment is key to maintaining the self-esteem of older people.
The better they feel, the more they can enjoy life, making life more pleasurable for both them and for the staff.
For most adults, hygiene is a personal and private concern. When you are helping someone with personal hygiene it's important to be sensitive and tactful, and to respect their dignity.

ASSESSMENT TWO
Describe the effects of poor personal hygiene on health and well-being Poor hygiene can cause skin complaints, unpleasant smells and bacterial or parasitic infections. This can …show more content…

* Offer practical help, for example, by handing the person the soap at the point when they would normally wash, or holding out a towel when it's time for them to dry themselves. * Give the person lots of encouragement and try not to dwell on things that do not go well.
Safety precautions
There are some very practical considerations when someone with dementia is using the bathroom. There is the potential for the person to be scalded with hot water, to slip on the floor, or get locked in, or for the carer to strain their back.
Tips for ensuring safe bathing * Check that the floor is not slippery. Think about using non-slip mats if necessary. * Make sure that the room is warm before the person undresses. Older people are more sensitive to heat and cold than younger people. * Make sure that any blinds or curtains are closed and that no-one else is likely to walk into the bathroom. * Try to make sure that you will not be disturbed or distracted and will not have to leave the person alone. * Check that the water temperature is not too hot or too cold. You can buy a heat sensor that sticks to the side of the bath and changes colour if the bath water is too hot, to prevent scalding. * You may need to remove locks from the bathroom door, or replace them with locks that can be opened from the outside. Someone with dementia may lock themselves in and panic, or they may go into the bathroom and then forget

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