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4.1.3 Personal Hygiene for Young Adults with Physical Disabilities |
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Louisiana Statewide Transition Project and Louisiana: Healthy and Ready to Work Fact Sheet Series |
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7/28/99 |
I. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
There are basic hygiene practices that everyone
should follow. However, when the young adult has a disability, especially a
physical disability, ensuring proper hygiene may become more complex.
Nevertheless, proper personal hygiene is critical to virtually all aspects of
life, including employment opportunities, relationships, and other important
areas in a person's life, therefore must not be overlooked.
II. KEY POINTS
All young adults should ensure proper and
adequate routine personal hygiene, know how to direct someone to assist and/or
support tasks, and take responsibility for hygiene and personal needs (for more
information on these areas, see the fact sheet 4.1.0 Hygiene/Personal Needs).
However, there are some unique areas for consideration when the young adult has
a physical disability.
Adapted Equipment and Devices
There are many companies that offer adapted
equipment that can be used by individuals who need such devices. There are
adapted devices available to help with virtually every personal hygiene task,
including dressing, bathing, grooming, etc. In addition, when appropriate,
young adults can use everyday items in unique ways in order to efficiently and
economically meet their needs. For example, enlarging a toothbrush handle with
a piece of foam pipe insulation can make grasping the toothbrush easier. For
advice on how to make or order adapted equipment or devices, school-aged young
adults can talk to their teachers and/or related service personnel (including
physical therapists and occupational therapists). Young adults who have exited
school can speak to their rehabilitation counselors or other adult service
providers. All young adults can contact the Louisiana Assistive Technology
Access Network (LATAN) for information on equipment and/or devices as well. For
contact information, see the Resources/Contacts section of this fact sheet.
Skin Care
Young adults with physical disabilities must
pay special attention to caring for their skin. If young adults cannot feel
pain, pressure, or moisture on their bodies, they are at increased risk of
developing pressure sores. Also, young adults who have difficulty moving may
sit for long periods of time, causing certain areas of their skin to break down
and become infected. In order to avoid such skin problems, young adults should:
·
keep their bodies clean.
Daily washing and thorough drying is the first step to healthy skin.
·
move around. By moving
at least every 15 minutes young adults can help prevent pressure sores.
·
check their bodies.
Daily inspections for discoloration, swelling, or other problems can help catch
problems early.
·
use creams and lotions
so that skin doesn't become dry or cracked.
·
avoid sliding during
transfers. The best way to avoid skin irritation when moving from place to
place is to lift the body.
·
avoid prolonged exposure
to moisture. When clothing becomes wet for any reason, it should be changed
immediately.
·
ensure that all clothing
and equipment fit properly.
·
eat nutritious foods and
drink plenty of water (Lutkenhoff, 1997).
Toileting Issues
Because young adults with physical
disabilities may have decreased muscle control and sensation, particular
attention should be paid to toileting issues. If the young adult uses a
catheter, then he/she should be taught about its proper care and use. He/she can
be taught to care for and use the equipment or how to direct someone else to
care for and use it for him/her. Young adults who do not require the use of a
catheter may still require assistance with toileting needs. Young adults must
know how to care for themselves routinely and how to handle emergency
situations. Young adults and those supporting them should talk to their health
care professionals about how to manage this important area.
III. ROLES/NEXT STEPS
Student/Young Adults:
Young adults with physical disabilities must
take responsibility for ensuring that they are properly groomed each day. They
should learn about adapted equipment that can help make attending to hygiene
and personal needs easier. If needed, young adults can ask that identification of
equipment and instruction in its use be included in the Transition Services
page of the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Self-advocacy and self-determination skills
can be very helpful when others provide assistance or support with hygiene and
personal needs. Young adults must learn how to articulate what they want and/or
need and also know how to advocate for themselves to get it. By learning and
practicing self-advocacy and self-determination skills while still in high
school, young adults can gain the experience needed to exercise maximum control
over their lives, thus ensuring their personal hygiene needs are met.
Young adults with physical disabilities must
pay special attention to the care of their skin. Serious infections and/or
illnesses can result if proper care is not given. An infection or illness can
seriously delay or end plans for pursuing employment or post-secondary
education.
Families:
While their sons/daughters are adolescents,
family members should encourage them to take responsibility for their hygiene
and personal needs. It is important that families let young adults make
decisions about their hygiene and personal needs, including anything from
selecting a hairstyle to choosing a Personal Care Attendant (PCA). By
supporting young adults when making these decisions, families can help assure
that young adults can take responsibility for themselves.
Parents and other family members are role
models for young adults. They must remember that their actions (or lack of
action) will have an influence on how their sons/daughters conducts themselves.
Therefore, families must set a good example by having good hygiene practices
themselves!
Agencies:
Local education agencies (LEAs) should make
sure that hygiene and personal needs are addressed during transition planning
for all students. Good personal hygiene can make the difference when seeking
employment, relationships, and other important areas of adult life, and
therefore must not be overlooked.
LEAs and other service providers can help young
adults identify adapted equipment that can help make attending to hygiene and
personal needs easier. If needed, they can also help young adults learn how to
use the equipment.
LEAs, adult service providers, and health
care professionals should work with young adults to identify ways to ensure
that their personal hygiene needs are met. By discussing various adaptive
devices, techniques, and resources, agencies can help assure that young adults
with physical disabilities have the information and/or support they need.
IV. RESOURCES/CONTACTS
Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network
(LATAN)
1-800-270-6185
Children's Special Health Services
Acadian Region: 504-265-5816
Capitol Region: 225-342-4713
Central Region: 318-487-5266
Northeast Region: 318-362-5486
Northwest Region: 318-676-7488
Southeast Region: 504-222-4593
Southwest Region: 318-475-8742
Teche Region: 318-447-0896
Families Helping Families Regional Offices
Acadiana: 800-378-9854
Bayouland: 800-331-5571
At the Crossroads: 800-259-7200
Greater Baton Rouge: 888-511-5299
Greater New Orleans: 800-766-7736
Northeast LA: 888-300-1320
Northshore: 800-383-8700
Northwest LA: 888-989-0315
Southwest LA: 800-894-6558
V. REFEERENCES
Lutkenhoff, M. (1997). Caring for your
largest organ. In Lutkenhoff, M. & Oppenheimer, S. (Eds.) SPINAbilities:
A Young Person's Guide to Spina Bifida. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.