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In Brief OVERVIEW: Older adults who need assistance with bathing often find the activity to be both physically and emotionally demanding, as do their caregivers. Research has identified several contributing factors, including pain; fatigue and weakness; confusion; anxiety resulting from being naked in front of strangers, being afraid of falling, and being in a noisy or unfamiliar place; and discomfort from cold or drafty bathing areas or harsh water sprays. The authors of this article make the case for the elimination of forced bathing. Research supports this change in philosophy and practice, whereby bathing is not a task to be performed but rather a human interaction. Inexpensive, practical, and evidence-based alternatives are discussed. To bathe people against their wishes, the authors contend, without a compelling health reason to do so, constitutes abuse. This article proposes practical approaches for making the experience a more pleasant one for all involved.
Rader et al. (Sat,) studied this question.