Dry Skin – How to Care and Handle?

As the process of raging, elderly people undergo lot of changes both physically and mentally. These biological changes affect the way how senior’s body work and react. Thus every part of the body including the skin undergo lot of changes. Hence it’s very important to adopt a healthy routine to maintain a proper health and to prevent the unexpected changes faced by people in senior years. As a part of ageing older adult’s skin will become dry (dry skin in ageing), wrinkles will appear and bruises might often occur due to thinness of skin and sagging due to lose of collagen content in the skin layer. Thus dry skin in old age should be given enough care in order to keep it healthy at maximum.

Common skin problems faced by senior adults:

It’s very important to understand the nature of the ageing skin to prevent the damages from happening at the earliest. In the ageing process the skin will lose its elasticity, becomes thinner and naturally dryer making it prone to damages like,

• Irritation 
• Scaling
• Infection

The other skin problems faced by senior adults includes,

1. Dermatitis - Dermatitis is common in all age groups but it’s even more serious when it occurs in older adults. The overly itchy and dry skin causes Dermatitis where in milder cases the stasis dermatitis is accompanied by irritation and dryness. In worst cases, exfoliative elements cause peeling and shedding. This should be diagnosed and treated at the earliest in order to prevent the infections that can cause serious effects on the individual’s overall health and put their safety at risk.
2. Senile Purpura - Some senior adults will face discoloration of the skin which is completely normal. This particular disorder is characterized by purple spots that appear on specific parts of the body (like arms and legs). This is caused due to thinner skin surface of the old age that exposes the blood vessels and capillaries.
3. Skin infections or parasites - From parasitic to bacterial infection, the symptoms like rashes, swelling, or skin that is warm to touch should be noticed and treated or else that might lead to severe conditions when not dealt immediately.
4. Skin growths - As one age the unusual skin growths and skin tags tend to happen because of the dry skin in seniors, although it’s not something serious that can be prevented with proper skin care, but it should be given some level of attention and go to doctor for quick visit. The skin growths sometimes can be cancerous so it’s always better to keep it checked out.

Thus with proper attention towards senior skin care, the above mentioned problems can be least effective as one age. Since it’s impossible to give care at every level at home, facilities like skilled nursing care will come in handy where a proper trained nurse will be appointed who will give round the clock services to the elders and take proper care.

Skin care tips for older adults:

Fewer tips that can prevent the dryness of skin and maintain a healthy ageing of skin in seniors includes,

• Avoid taking hot showers instead take Luke warm water to shower or bath that will avoid damages or strain to the skin. Also try and reduce the excessive number of showers as possible.
• Try and avoid using soaps with strong ingredients and fragrances, instead use milder ones that won’t irritate and dry out the older skin.
• Apply moisturisers regularly after taking shower, which will help maintain hydration of the skin. Hydration is necessary and most important step in the dry skin treatment. Also consume lots of water to keep yourself hydrated.
• It’s more important to keep the clothes, sheets and sanitary products clean especially when the elders are bedridden.
• Avoid smoking and alcohols.
• Try and install a humidifier at room and visit your dermatologist on a regular basis.

Thus with proper preventive measures taken at the right time, the skin problems of the older adults can be prevented at some level. For these situations the assisted living facilities with skilled nurses (Athulya Living)will be of greater help to notice each and every need of the elderly and incorporate above measures in daily living for senior’s healthy life style.