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My relative needs a haircut, and there are no hairdressers on site. I could take her to a hair salon, but it would be challenging. Any tips from anyone who has cut their loved one’s hair while in a nursing home? I need tips for cutting hair and what tools I would need. My loved one is not able to put her head back in a sink. Would use a spray bottle to wet hair if needed.Thanks!

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What is the main problem with her hair now? Is it falling in her eyes or food?

Can she sit up in a chair or would she have to remain in bed?

I would not worry about style. Just buy a scissor kit on amazon and make a straight cut and even bangs if it helps. No one is going to maintain her hair in a facility.

I'm dreading this a little for myself... I have hair long enough to put in a pony most of the time because my hair is very straight and grows forward towards my face so doesn't stay away. I look terrible in bangs so my hair is all the same length. When I had a surgery on my dominant arm and couldn't use it, my husband was incredibly terrible at putting it in a pony for me. I later learned this is a common problem. I even saw this comic moment in a romcom I was watching. Boyfriend trying to make a pony on his GF and failing. We still laugh about it.
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Reply to Geaton777
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Why don't you ask your hairdresser to go cut your loved ones hair, as often they are more than happy to help?
Years ago one of my employees was in critical condition in the hospital and needed something done with her hair, and I asked my hair dresser to go help her out, and she did. I of course paid her well for doing so, but this same hair dresser also volunteers with hospice to go cut hospice patients hair for free when needed.
Also one of the homebound ladies who's 90 that I visit has her hairdresser come to her home to cut and perm her hair when needed, so there are options out there, you'll just have to search for them.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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Geaton777 May 4, 2026
I don't think facilities allow this because of Dept of Health issues and also licensing, liability, blah blah (which is what I was told). Even if they're doing it for free. I wanted to have a nail tech come and give my MIL a pedicure just to massage her feet and trim her nails but they gave me a hard no.

Stylists going into someone's private home is not the same as going into a facility. I think the OP will need to tell the facility a "therapeutic fib" and have a hairdresser discretely come in to do it. Then the OP tells admins they did it, if they question it. Sad but necessary in some states I suppose.
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My mom lives in a memory care assisted-living facility. The person who cut her hair when she was living at home comes to the facility and cuts her hair. The managers and staff do not have a problem with this.
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Reply to Rosered6
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My mom's memory care facility allows hairdressers to come in and do hair on site. We pay ahead of time to get on her list. It's a nice benefit. Ask your facility if they will allow you to hire a hairdresser to come in.
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Reply to JustAnon
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In my husband's facility there's a small salon room with a hairdresser's sink for washing hair. There are also other tools for styling. The hairdresser is there certain days of the week to cut and style the residents' hair. She's been doing this for years and wheels them into the salon, cuts their hair and has them back in the commons area in 20 minutes. She charges $15.

The good thing is that she's very good at handling them when they are scared, and after a few times, they trust her. I don't see why your relative's facility wouldn't agree to have a hairdresser visit regularly! They may even have a place onsite where a previous hairdresser worked, but once that hairdresser left they didn't replace her. Ask. There was an onsite hairdresser at every memory care facility I considered for DH.
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Reply to Fawnby
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Does the facility have a place set aside for doing hair? The one Mom was in allowed personal hairdressers to come in for a fee. Call around and see if there is a hairdresser willing to do it. I would get a style very easy to care for. Aides don't style hair. I carried around a small brush and travel size hairspray and did Moms when I visited.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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