The mother doesn’t wear a mask so I’m nervous to ask if I can... but it’s extremely difficult and I’m afraid I might gag. I don’t want to embarrass anyone. Also, isn’t it more hygienic to wear a mask? Bowel movements have air born bacteria...
Any advice?
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Just be careful to not wince or show disgust. I think the adult diaper situation is harder on them than us. They never wanted this.
Focus on protecting your loved one’s skin-and-emotional well being. Then you’ll be okay.
It’s not the same at all. big difference between a baby diaper and an adult diaper, just saying. VERY Big difference between changing YOUR baby’s diaper and the adult diaper of your client, patient, even parent.
Is it rude? You're doing a very unpleasant job - there's no such thing as feeling bad about self protection. my opinion is TS (no pun).
When I was trying to place my mother in a facility and I was having a tough time, the worse part was listening to some annoying, judgmental propaganda such as "well, they took care of you when you were a baby......". It's not the same. It's tough on the caretaker, and it's a violation of dignity for the elder.
The other situation is when there would be invites to family parties and I would feel pressured to bring my elderly, incontinent, dementia and anxiety riddled mother to the event. I was quite candid and told people, no thank you, but I'd like to enjoy your party and I do not want to spend the whole evening in the toilet with my mother. Period. That shut them right up.
What the mother chooses to do is not really a consideration. It's your nose.
If you don't make a big deal out of it, he probably won't either. Get in and get it done, go clean up and act like nothing unusual just took place.
Best of luck.
I chose not to wear a mask with my DH when I cleaned him, but he wasn't in Adult Briefs. I chose not to wear gloves unless there was a chance of infection, like if I had a cut on my hands. But that was my choice to make.
You do whatever you feel you need to better protect yourself.
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