Hand washing - before meals?

I always wash my hands before a meal but can't get my mother to ever wash her hands! Yet, I was brought up to do this. Anyone any idea how I can convince her its a good idea?

I have very thin dry skin on my wrists and forearms - a effect of taking steriods - and have been recommended by fellow sufferers to use Doublebase cream or gel which I have started. The unsightly bruising caused by any bump or scrape on the thin skin makes me want to try anything to improve things.

I've had to use steroid creams for a long while, anno (psoriasis) - mainly on my forearms and upper arms. This has thinned the skin and lightened the pigment. I was given Dibrobase which I use on my face as a moisturiser, but it doesn't help at all on my arms. GP gave me Epaderm which is a really rich Vaseline-type of ointment. It can be used whenever necessary and although it doesn't make the dry skin/redness go away, it does alleviate the dryness a bit.

Oh dear is becoming an obsessive about germs a feature of getting older?
I never used to worry too much thinking a few germs were good for me but recently i have found myself thinking about germs in public places , on handrails, door handles and so on.
We have just been on holiday in Florence and climbed the 400 odd steps to the top of the Campanile.I noticed with horror that the walls next to the narrow spiral stairs were covered in an unpleasant black grease where many hands had touched.I couldn't wait to wash my hands!

Certainly hand hygiene is needed after using the toilet but don't get too worked up about these thousands of bacteria, on money mobile phones etc.

Quite realistically how often do we get stomach upsets or serious bugs from our everyday activity?
We have all coped with most childhood cuts and scratches grazes etc with no serious infection. Our bodies are in general very good at coping with bacteria if just left to their own devices. Those with impaired immune systems do have to be careful but the rest of us survive happily with these thousands of bugs outside and inside our bodies.

Poor hygiene with regard to food preparation cooking and storing is probably reponsible for more food poisoning events than anything else.

I wash my hands after using the toilet and before eating but its probably not to hospital hygiene standards.

I have not become more worried about bacteria as I have got older.

What worries me more is the pressure put on by the the advertising of the manufacturers of antibacterial sprays which implies that without these products we shall all get ill.
I worry also that the overuse of these products will allow the usual familiar bacteria to become resistant and produce more superbugs.

Shopping trolley handles are a personal horror on the germ front for me... as are any doors/handles while out. My bloke and I are both meticulous about hand hygiene after visiting the latrines, and before prepping/eating food, and tend to be rather judgemental towards people who aren't.

That said, I have a very clear memory of sucking handfuls of pennies as a small child, and finding the coppery taste quite pleasing - can you IMAGINE the gazillions of germs I must've ingested? I do sometimes wonder if that sort of behaviour strengthened my immune system in some way, because I seem to get far fewer coughs/colds/tummy upsets than most ppl I know.

We too have been sucked in by the antibacterial wipe/spray brigade, but not really sure how necessary any of it is. It can get quite frenzied around here, with the spraying/wiping of light switches and door handles, when someone's visited who's clearly feeling poorly lol! ;)