Personal Care

Personal care is the support and supervision of daily personal living tasks and private hygiene and toileting, along with dressing and maintaining your personal appearance.

Personal care may include:

• Bathing and showering, including bed-baths
• Applying lotions and creams as required
• Dressing and getting ready for bed
• Oral hygiene
• Applying make-up, and hair care
• Support with shaving
• Foot care, especially if you are diabetic need to be extra vigilant with your feet
• Helping you to the toilet, including using a commode or bed pan
• Changing continence pads, along with cleaning intimate areas
• Support moving position in bed, to stretch and prevent bed sores
• Changing or maintaining a stoma or catheter bag, or another form of clinical intervention

In getting to know you as a person, your care plan will outline your likes and dislikes, the hygiene or beauty products you want to use and what – and who – you feel most comfortable with. Particular tasks, such as shaving will always be outlined in your support plan with specific instructions for your carer.

Each carer is expertly trained to provide personal care in a way that is discreet and respectful of your personal boundaries. They undertake extensive training where they learn the importance of enabling your dignity and independence at all times.

Even though carers are trained to provide all aspects of personal care, there may be some things you’d prefer to do for yourself. A good carer will always give you space when you want it and encourage your independence wherever they can.