Self-Help

New people, staff or strangers are NOT allowed to change MichaelAnn's brief, bathe or dress her.

• We are trying to build in a sense of privacy for her.  With so many aides & people in her life it is extremely important she learn that people she just meets do not do private things with her.
• Sherry or Greg will let you know when you can do these things.

 

Dressing

• Let her choose the outfit.
• Have 2 outfits out for her to choose from.

 

• Shirts/Dresses/Over-the-head items
• Put over her head first.
• Put hand in left arm hole.
• Tell MichaelAnn to "push", she will push her arm through the hole.  May have to tell her to push a few times, be patient.
• Repeat other arm.

 

• Coat
• Put in her right arm first.
• You will probably have to put your hand in the arm sleeve and grab her hand/arm to pull it through the sleeve.

 

• Pants/shorts
• Usually she will lie down to put pants on.
• Start one leg in pant leg.
• Tell MichaelAnn to "push".  May have to tell her to push a few times, be patient.
• MichaelAnn may give you her other leg without you asking her.  Praise her for doing this on her own.
• Repeat for other leg.
• Depending on circumstance, you can have her stand to finish pulling them up or have her roll side to side until you get them pulled up.

 

• Dresses
• MichaelAnn will wear underwear over her brief/diaper when she wears a dress.

 

• Undressing
• Lift top over her head from the bottom.
• She will hold her arms up - if not, tell her to hold her arms up.
• Pants - she usually lies down so you can take them off.

 

Tooth Brushing

• MichaelAnn uses an electric toothbrush.
• Use a small amount of toothpaste because she does not spit it out.
• Show her the toothbrush and tell her to "open wide".
• Hold the toothbrush in front of her until she looks at it and opens wide.
• Let her hold the toothbrush, if she doesn't want to hold it don't make a big deal about it, just brush her teeth.
• She may want to brush her teeth by herself when you have "completed" brushing them.  That's okay!  You want her to be brushing her teeth independently.  Praise her!
• When brushing her teeth she will stop a few times (close her mouth and/or turn her head), use this opportunity to rinse the toothbrush with water.
• She will, most of the time, open her mouth again.  NEVER force the toothbrush into her mouth.
• MichaelAnn does tend to bite the brush; just wait for her to open her mouth to move the brush.
• We usually tell her that side of her mouth or those teeth are sparkling and we should make some others sparkle.

 

Hair Combing

• MichaelAnn does like her hair brushed if not tangled.  When her hair was long she wasn't to fond of getting her hair brushed.
• If dry -- spray her hair with water.  Cover her face with your hand.  Spraying is the worse part for her, especially if you get her face wet.
• Brush slow on scalp, hold hair if knots so as not to pull her hair.
• Use the wide tooth comb to get the snarls out.  Then use the brush.  She likes her hair brushed.
• Then style.
• If you take longer than she expects she will get upset.