Caring For Seniors With Dry Skin

Caring for our seniors with dry skin challenges can be a rewarding and daunting task. You need to know you are not alone. Many people are now caring for elderly people. Whether it is a beloved relative in their declining years or you have chosen to make your living in this manner here is the information you need to know about skin care for the aging population.

Our skin changes as we age. This is caused by the following:

--The thinning of our skin. Our skin becomes much more fragile as we age. The layer of fat that has once protected us becomes depleted.--Overexposure to the sun. If you have spent a lot of time in the sun without protection throughout your life now is the time when it will show the most.

--We sweat less as we become older.

--A breakdown of the collagen and elastin within our skin. Our skin no longer has the high turnover of skin cells that it once had resulting in dull skin.

These cause wrinkles, dryness, and age spots.

Other Contributors to Dry Skin in Elderly People

--Low humidity

--health problems such as diabetes

--Certain medications

--stress

--dehydration

--smoking

--further sun exposure

--perfume

--soap

--hot baths

-- Actinic Keratosis, Skin Cancer. All these things added to the above naturally occurring aging challenges can add up to some pretty dry and damaged skin. There is however much hope. Try these things:

--Moisturize their skin daily.

--Keep their skin clean.

--Bathe every other day instead of daily. Get some wipes or use a washcloth to clean them up and moisturize directly after.

--Avoid further overexposure to the sun. 20 minutes max a day of unprotected sun is ample for Vitamin D production.

--Switch laundry detergents. For the best non-toxic cleaning and laundry products ever click here.

--Only use alcohol free, dye free, and perfume free products.

--Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol is very drying to the skin.

--Give them plenty of filtered water to drink to combat dehydration.

--Be sure to help them get some exercise and watch their diet.

--Help them to cease smoking if possible. There was a time when smoking was considered fashionable. Many people became addicted to this habit. It may be too much for many elderly people to just quit. Talk to their doctor about a solution. We want to keep our seniors around for a long and healthy time.

--Run a humidifier in low humidity.

--Switch from soap to a less harsh cleanser for bathing.

--Talk to their doctor about solutions for dry skin.

--If your senior is at an age where they are now wearing adult diapers it is paramount that this area be thoroughly cleansed with each change. You want to prevent any damaged to their already thin and fragile skin. Click here for instructions regarding diapering.

--If the person you are caring for is bedridden you will also want to be sure that they do not have a breakdown in skin tissue caused by pressure points (bedsores). For prevention of bedsores click here.

As you can see there are quite a few options for tending to the dry skin problems that seniors may have. Prevention is definitely key.

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