How often do I need to bathe my parent?

A fellow caregiver asked...
It takes so much time and effort to bathe my dad. I've heard all kinds of recommendations, but how often do I really need to bathe him?

Expert Answer

Lisa Balestreri is a registered nurse and the owner of Complete Nursing Solutions, a health agency in El Sobrante, California.

There are two ways to look at this question. How often do you need to bathe your father, and how often should you bathe him?

I'd recommend doing some kind of freshening up every day, but a daily bath usually isn't necessary -- and sometimes it isn't even recommended. If your dad doesn't like being bathed or he has dry skin or skin allergies that are aggravated by soap and water, bathe him less frequently. A full head-to-toe bath once or twice a week should be fine.

Work with your dad's personality, medical condition, and mood. However, at the very least, you should aim to wash a few places every day, including the privates, underarms, and between any folds of skin.

What's most important is that your dad stays relatively clean and that he's comfortable with his level of hygiene.