When it feels like you’ve been practicing but aren’t seeing progress
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Maintaining proper hygiene is a common area of concern for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities as they move out on their own. Caregivers may feel like they’ve given reminder after reminder, tried several different techniques, and still struggle to see consistent progress.
In today’s blog post, we’ll dive deeper into some of the underlying skill areas that can make daily living skills harder to learn, as well as review a few tips and items that can help support these areas.
1. Fine Motor Skills
Many self-care and grooming tasks require precise movements of the fingers and hands. Opening and closing containers, squeezing out the right amount of product, and thorough washing require both strength and coordination. When someone has difficulty with fine motor skills, it will be difficult to coordinate the movements necessary to complete hygiene tasks thoroughly.
Supporting Fine Motor Skills
While there are many activities and exercise that focus on strengthening fine motor skills, it is best not to practice challenging skills during a stressful time (like the stress of getting ready to leave on time in the morning)! Set aside time to practice specifically challenging tasks when you aren’t in a rush.
Looking for ideas to develop fine motor skills? Check out this list of Fine Motor Activities for Adults from Seniors Flourish.
While working on developing fine motor skills will support the development of hygiene skills, there are also great products that can provide adaptive solutions to compensate for fine motor delays or other physical differences. Here are a few of our favorite examples:
Shower Product Dispensers:
A product dispenser has many benefits, including: assisting those who have difficulty using the correct amount of a particular product, or those who have difficulty opening and closing containers. It is also an easy way to organize all the products that should be used in the shower.
Shampoo Brush:
A Shampoo Brush can assist with more thoroughly scrubbing the scalp for washing hair and/or removing shampoo residue.
Detangling Hairbrushes:
An ergonomic, detangling hair brush can be helpful to manage tangled hair with more control and less hair breakage.
2. Sensory Processing Skills
Self-care and grooming tasks involve many different sensory experiences, especially light touch and sound. These activities can prove challenging for different reasons if you or your learner are dealing with sensory processing challenges.
Sensory Over-Responsiveness
Being over-responsive to sensory input is a fancy way of saying you are more sensitive. Many people with sensory sensitivities avoid grooming tasks. They may not like the sensation of leaning their head back to wash their hair or the light touch experience of interacting with different bathing products. The sounds of water running or a toilet flushing may cause a lot of stress in the bathroom.
Supporting Sensory Over-Responsiveness
When working with people who have sensory sensitivities, the more control you can give them in their environment, the better.
Encourage them to be the one to turn the water off and on, flush the toilet, or hold the hair dryer. Also, if you are providing physical assistance, avoid touching them without warning. For example, saying “I’m going to help wash your back now,” is a good approach and provides time for the person to prepare for the sensation of touch input.
Here are some products that can also assist in making intense sensory experiences less stressful:
Handheld Shower Head:
A handheld shower head can provide more control of the water flow while showering. This can assist in more accurate and thorough washing and rinsing.
Long-Handled Body Scrub Brush:
The long handle on this scrub brush can assist in washing skin with more control and independence, and the bristles provide more intense deep pressure, which can be an easier sensation to process for those with sensory sensitivites.
Waterproof Music Player:
Playing preferred music, or even predictable rhythms can assist in maintaining self-regulation in the bathroom, espeically when there are many unpredictable sounds and sensations in the bathroom.
Sensory Under-Responsiveness
While some are sensitive to sensory experiences, others don’t notice or register sensory input. This means they may not notice the need for hygiene tasks. For example, they may not notice food on their face or in their teeth, they may not be bothered by smells, or they may do a task half-way and feel it is done.
Supporting Sensory Under-Responsiveness:
Providing more visual input is helpful for those who are less responsive to sensory input. Direct their attention to a mirror to better see what they have missed. Tasks involving areas that are harder to see – think the back of the head/body, inside the mouth – are going to require more prompts or support.
Giving more concrete examples will also be helpful. For example, play a specific song when brushing teeth to keep track of time. Break down all the steps of a longer task so it has a defined start and end.
Here are a few examples of hygiene products that can provide support for people who may be under-responsive to sensory input:
3-Sided Mirror:
The angles of this 3-sided mirror provide visual feedback for the back of the head/body, which make it much easier to accurately complete tasks such as brushing or styling hair.
3-Sided Toothbrush:
This 3-sided toothbrush cleans more surface area with each stroke, which can assist in thoroughness with tooth brushing.
3. Sustained Attention
Hygiene tasks often require attention to detail across many different activities. For some learners, completing all of these tasks feels daunting. They may get bored, frustrated, or distracted by other things during their routine.
Supporting Sustained Attention
Completing tasks at the same time every day will help to create routines and habits. Once a task becomes a habit, it is much more likely to be completed!
Make it clear what needs to be done. If you say “go get ready” – that can feel overwhelming! Where do you start and how will know when you are done? Have set, clear expectations for what needs to be done to be ready for the day.
Here at Accessible Adulthood, we created a set of hygiene checklists to remind people of their morning routine so they have a concrete start and finish to their tasks.
Also, be sure to provide concrete references for length of time. Brushing teeth for two minutes? Set a timer or play a favorite song and ask your learner to brush until it is done. The more you can set a number or clear time frame, the more likely something will be done for the appropriate amount of time.
Learning Takes Time
Learning skills for independence can take time, lots of practice, and a fair amount of problem solving! What works for one learner may not work for another. However, taking time to look a bit deeper at barriers to progress can help in the long run.
