Why is Personal Hygiene Important?

Personal hygiene is how you care for your body. Good personal hygiene is important for numerous reasons, including:

• Stopping the spread of illnesses and disease.
• Reducing your risk of medical conditions that result from poor personal hygiene.
• Positively impacting personal relationships.
• Increasing cleanliness, which helps boost your self-confidence.

Keep reading for a few tips on how to maintain good personal hygiene.

Good Personal Hygiene Tips

Wash Your Hands: Many doctors tout hand washing as one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of disease. Frequently washing your hands is the best way to achieve positive benefits, including before and after you eat or prepare food, after using the restroom, after touching garbage or after coming into contact with someone who is sick. To properly wash your hands:

• Wet your hands with clean water and apply soap.
• Lather your hands by rubbing them thoroughly with soap.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Rinse your hands well.
• Dry your hands with a towel or air dry.

Bathe: Bathing cleans dirt and germs off of your body. For optimal results, it is recommended that older adults either shower or take a bath at least twice a week.

Take Care of Your Teeth: Along with maintaining regular dental appointments, brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day (or when something gets stuck in between your teeth). This will help you achieve good oral hygiene and a healthy smile.

Clean your Clothes: After wearing an article of clothing, make sure you’re cleaning it with detergent before wearing it again. Dirty clothes can harbor bacteria that can cause body odor or even skin infections.

Get Restful Sleep: Proper sleep improves overall health and wellness. Try to aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night.

Avoid Spreading Sickness: If you aren’t feeling well, try your best to avoid the spread of your sickness. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and clean the surfaces you touch with a disinfectant.

Visit the Doctor: Maintaining regular healthcare appointments can help you catch infections and illnesses early, making it easier to treat them. Visit your healthcare provider when you have a concern and schedule routine check-ups.

Focus on Wellness at Meadow Lakes

At Meadow Lakes, your wellness is our top priority. That’s why we offer LivWell, our award-winning holistic wellness program that touches on all seven dimensions of wellness. Through LivWell, we work with you to discover your top goals and priorities and help lead you to the onsite amenities and activities that could help you reach your specific goals.

Learn more about ways to improve on wellness in our senior living community by contacting our team today.