Problems with bathing may be caused by:

• Temperature of the water is too hot or too cold
• Temperature of the bathroom is too hot or too cold
• Forgetting that he/she needs to take a shower/bath
• Not enough privacy or embarrassed to have the caregiver help
• Not enough contrast between tub and floor can be confusing
• Fear of falling
• Being rushed or taking too long to take a bath/shower
• Inability to stay focused long enough to complete shower

Problems with dressing may be caused by:

• Forgetting that it is time to change clothes
• Loss of understanding how to get dressed
• Inability to recognize parts of the body
• Room temperature that is too hot or too cold for dressing
• Distractions from people, clutter or noise
• Lack of privacy

Problems with grooming may be caused by:

•  Forgetting that it is time to comb hair, brush teeth etc.
• Loss of understanding how to comb hair, brush teeth etc.
• Inability to recognize parts of the body
• Distractions from people, clutter or noise
• Lack of privacy
• Poor lighting

Encourage person to do as much of the grooming activities as possible

• Forgetting where the bathroom is
• Not recognizing the need to void
• Not enough privacy or embarrassed to have the caregiver help
• Being rushed or taking too long to go to the bathroom
• Inability to stay focused long enough to complete toileting tasks
• Not enough strength, endurance, or balance 
  

 Physical aspects of toileting

• Moving too slow to make it to the toilet in time
• Clothing may be too complicated to pull down quickly
• Loss of sensation of needing to use the toilet
• Inability to tell a someone that he/she needs to use the toilet

Medical reasons for incontinence

• Difficulties with swallowing
• Poorly fitted dentures or some type of mouth discomfort
• Side effects of medication
• Inability to recognize hunger
• Inability to recognize difference between food and non-food items
• Depression
• Some medical conditions
• Losing interest in food, or hoarding food
• Forgetting to eat

Reasons for malnutrition:

• Inability to fix a meal
• Forgetting to eat 
• Inability to recognize hunger 
• Decreased sense of smell and/or taste 
• Losing interest in food, or hoarding food 
• Inability to recognize difference between food and non-food items 
• Difficulties with swallowing 
• Poorly fitted dentures or some type of mouth discomfort
• Side effects of medication 
• Constipation 
• Depression 
• Some medical condition 

Wandering & Dementia

Wandering is a common problem among people with dementia and refers to the urge to walk about or leave the home. Although exact estimates are hard to find, the Alzheimer’s Association reports that 60% of persons with Alzheimer’s disease will wander away from the caregiver at some time during their disease. Although a small proportion of individuals with dementia frequently wander aimlessly and may get lost, wandering is believed to be an unpredictable behavior. This problem is very worrying for caregivers and presents a challenge for the person with dementia’s safety and wellbeing. However, wandering may be a warning sign of a person’s need for stimulation, social contact, exercise, and maintenance of mobility.