Looking for a Sweet, Safe Way to Enhance Loved One’s Daily Memory Care?
The touch of a hand is important to everyone, especially to those who are in need of dementia care. That’s why we often include hand massages and facials in our list of activities for Mayberry Gardens’ residents. And we’re not the only ones who feel these simple activities are essential to good care. The subject has been covered in a number of periodicals, including Massage Today, McKinght’s, Harvard Men’s Health Watch and Catching Health.
They all agree that dementia care should include frequent, periods of one-on-one or group socialization. So we’d like to share a homemade sugar scrub recipe that is ideal for one-on-one, dementia care use. The scrub smells great with texture and moisturizing elements that are good for aging skin and stimulating the senses. Also, chances are the scrub’s ingredients are already in the pantry.
Simply mix two cups of granulated sugar with two tablespoons of vitamin E oil and ½ cup of either coconut or olive oil to create the base. The coconut oil is exceptional but please remember that it has a tendency to solidify when cold. So care must be taken to ensure that it doesn’t get accidentally dumped into the toilet or sink. If that is a concern, we recommend going with the olive oil instead because it’s edible and won’t solidify like other common oils.
To add more fragrance to the scrub, consider using citrus zest, spices, coffee grounds or food-grade cooking extracts. They’re all edible and will get the job done. If accidental ingestion isn’t a concern, there are always store-bought, essential oils available. They are generally found at local craft stores for a modest fee. Just stir the fragrance of your choice into the mix and put it all into a resealable container until it’s time for your loved one’s spa day.
To learn more about this dementia care activity and other ways to improve a loved one’s quality of life, please contact us at Mayberry Gardens today.
