The Basin Bath

If the person in your care can be in a chair or wheelchair, you can give a sponge bath at the sink.

1. Make sure the room is warm.

2. Gather supplies -- disposable gloves, mild soap, washcloth, washbasin, lotion, comb, electric razor, shampoo -- and clean clothes.

3. Use good body mechanics (position) -- keep your feet separated, stand firmly, bend your knees, and keep your back in neutral.

4. Offer the urinal.

5. Wash the face first.

6. Wash the rest of the upper body.

The Tub Bath

If the person in your care has good mobility and is strong enough to get in and out of the tub, he or she may enjoy a tub bath. Be sure there are grab bars, a bath bench, and a rubber mat so the person doesn't slide. (It may be easier to sit at bench level rather than at the bottom of the tub.) Use the following steps:

1. Make sure the room is a comfortable temperature.

2. Gather supplies -- disposable gloves for the caregiver, mild soap, washcloth, lotion, comb, electric razor, shampoo -- and clean clothes.

3. Check the water temperature before the person gets in.

4. Guide the person into the tub. Have the person use the grab bars. (Don't let the person grab you and pull you down.)

5. Help the person wash.

6. Empty the tub and then help the person get out.

7. Guide the person to use the grab bars while getting out. OR you can have the person stand up and then sit on the bath bench. Swing first one leg, then the other leg, over the edge of the tub. Help him stand.

8. Use a large bath sheet or terrycloth robe to wrap the person in. Rubbing the body dry can be too strenuous for the person with lung disease.

9. Apply lotion to any skin that appears dry.

10. Help the person dress. If a bath bench is not used, many people feel more secure if they turn on to their side and then get on their knees before rising from the tub. This is a very helpful way to get out of the tub if the person is unsteady.

The Shower

Before starting, be sure the shower floor is not slippery. Also make sure there are grab bars, a bath bench, and a rubber mat so the person doesn't slide. A removable shower head is also useful.

1. Make sure the room is a comfortable temperature.

2. Explain to the person what you are going to do.

3. Provide a shower stool in case he or she needs to sit.

4. Gather supplies -- mild soap, washcloth, washbasin, comb, electric razor, shampoo -- and clean clothes.

5. Turn on the cold water and then the hot to prevent burns. Test and adjust the water temperature before the person gets in. Use gentle water pressure.

6. First, spray and clean the less sensitive parts of the body such as the feet.

7. For safety, ask the person to hold the grab bar or to sit on the shower stool.

8. Move the water hose around the person rather than asking the person to move.

9. Assist in washing as needed.

10. Guide the person out of the shower and wrap with a bath sheet or terrycloth robe. Turn the water off.

11. Apply lotion to skin that appears dry.

12. If necessary, have the person sit on a stool or on the toilet lid.

13. Assist in drying and dressing.