When I was a young women I belonged to a small theater group that performed a Soap Opera. It was a spoof of a classic melodrama with characters such as hero Sudsley Do – Right, his girlfriend Prell, sisters Bubbles and Ivory, and the evil Snidley Splishsplash. The rescue took place in a soap factory where the drama was all about soap.
Bathing for Dad has become more dramatic over the past year; especially when he is tired. To help make it easier, we shower earlier in the day, and assist more with drying, wrap him in a comfort robe, and he now sits down to get dressed. Recently we had a positive change that is also all about soap.
For many years while Dad was still living independently, he bathed entirely with soap, including washing his hair with a bar of soap. With the progression of his dementia, I have been wondering whether he is washing his hair – I think not. Every night after his shower, I have been putting lotion on his forehead and skin to prevent dryness. Nothing works for very long.
A few weeks ago, my cousin sent us several bars of her hand-crafted goat milk soap. The soap is amazing! It lathers nicely, is creamy, doesn’t leave a residue, and rinses clean and clear. Dad enjoys the “special soap” and is washing his hair every shower. I know because although he washes it, he just doesn’t rinse it. With many bath and hair products a second rinse would be required. With this natural goat milk soap, I can use a towel to massage it into Dad’s hair and scalp. It is our new moisturizer for his skin which is looking great, and his hair is pleasantly soft. Dad is now Sudsley Do-Right, I have been rescued, and my cousin is definitely the heroine of our soap opera!