Electric shaver for caregivers?

September 3, 2018 11:37 AM

Looking for a simple electric shaver for an elderly man and his caregiver.

Please help me identify a simple electric shaver for my father. He is in an assisted living facility and will be shaved by my mother.

Desired features:

1) Simplicity. My mother has early Alzheimer's so she gets easily confused by technology. One obvious button would be ideal. ANY options/choices will lead to confusion.

2) Maneuverability by the caregiver. My father has advanced Parkinson's so there is no way he can handle a shave himself. I assume a second hand shave necessitates a pivoting head and other potential issues I may not be thinking of?

3) Able to do a dry shave without hurting the face owner.

4) Rechargeable and cordless.

5) Not a total piece of crap that will stop working after 6 months :)

Thank you!

posted by rada to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

I don't have an answer for you on an electric razor, but this article about the soon-to-be-released Gillette Treo may be of great interest: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/its-become-a-gold-rush-inside-the-race-to-create-smart-shoes-custom-razors-and-high-tech-devices-for-the-over-65-crowd/
posted by XtineHutch at 12:20 PM on September 3, 2018 [2 favorites]

I have never thought it quite lived up to the hype it seems to have gotten, but the Phillips OneBlade may be a good choice for you. It is certainly easy to use and clean.
posted by 4ster at 1:15 PM on September 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

i've had the the braun 7 series for 2 years, its a great shave and easy to clean.

https://us.braun.com/en-us/male-grooming/shavers-for-men/series-7
posted by askmehow at 1:25 PM on September 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

Another vote for the Philips OneBlade. Head pivots in one dimension, comes with 3 guards to change the length (5,3,1,mm) and obviously with no guard it's under 1mm. Had mine 6 months and it works great still. Battery seems to last an eternity off a single charge as well. Only one button. It's actually best for a dry shave btw that's the only way I use it.
posted by MNMCSOJGPFTAATMOTTSOITATTMSFMVOOW at 5:38 PM on September 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The basic Philips Norelco shavers (like this or this) are what we used for my father when he was in assisted living and then a nursing home. It's what he liked, as they're exceedingly foolproof even for someone who's legally blind, and it was what he'd gotten for us as gifts previously. They last forever, but they're also cheap enough to replace as needed. I don't feel like anything with guards that need to be changed out and could potentially be lost would be ideal for this situation. These Norelco shavers have a single on/off button and then the flip-out sideburns trimmer on the back, which is gentle enough that it could be used all over if he hadn't shaved in a while, as long as you put on lotion afterward. A single power button controls both regular shaving and the trimmer; the trimmer only activates when it's flipped out, and it can be ignored otherwise. Power is restored to the main trio of razors once it's flipped back in. I hope you find something that works well!
posted by limeonaire at 8:23 PM on September 3, 2018 [1 favorite]

Bowties Spouse (who will one day cough up his $5 for the site, I am sure) asked me to nth the Philips OneBlade, and I know he uses it dry exclusively.
posted by bowtiesarecool at 1:55 PM on September 4, 2018 [1 favorite]