Ethical Dilemma: Honoring Patient Wishes

Honoring Patient Wishes

As a caregiver one of the things that can be incredibly stressful is to deal with a loved one that has incontinence. Incontinence is very embarrassing to them and it can be incredibly frustrating to you as you are forced to go around and clean up all of the messes from their accidents. From ruined mattresses to washing bedding daily, you have to consider if it is time to force your loved one to wear adult diapers or not. If you are to that point, how do you approach your loved one and have that conversation with them about wearing adult diapers?

A great way to start the conversation is by purchasing some incontinence products for them to try using. Here are some great samples; http://caregiverpartnership.com/landing/samples/. This can help you start the conversation and to show your loved one how discrete the products are so they won’t be embarrassed by their condition or resulting to wearing incontinence pads, diapers, or underwear. It helps them to maintain their dignity and will really help them to see how nice it is to have products that prevent them from just soiling themselves all the time.

Some loved ones are incredibly private about these types of issues and they likely won’t want to speak to you about it. What can you do about this situation? You should schedule an appointment with their doctor and take them in to talk about their condition. The doctor will clearly explain to both of you what incontinence is and what type of incontinence they have; http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/landing/incontinence/. This can make your life much easier as you can find a way to talk to them about it and you will be able to see what your options are as far as looking for the products that work the best for their needs. In a number of cases elderly individuals are comfortable talking to an outside party about incontinence. You might consider a home health care nurse for a little while as they can help to explain what incontinence is and may be able to show them how to wear the adult diapers and to cleanse their genitals to prevent infections and other things. Having another person explain it may really take the stress of your shoulders and can give you relief as you do not need to worry about having them become hostile toward you as you really want to get them into adult diapers or incontinence underwear to salvage your furniture!

It is important to remember that you are going to get frustrated with this condition and so will your parents or loved one. They are embarrassed about their condition and may hate feeling like a burden to you. You need to maintain your cool and keep your patience and work hard to make them feel comfortable. Do not belittle them about their incontinence issue as they really do not have control over it. Instead approach it in a sensitive way and really help them understand how important it is for them to start wearing the adult diapers and learning to manage incontinence.

Incontinence is one of the main reasons why family members decide to commit their loved one to a nursing care facility. If you struggling with your patience then you should consider getting some help before you just move your loved one into a facility. This is a life altering thing for them and they may really become depressed over it. A home health care nurse can come in a few days a week to give you a much needed break from being the primary caregiver to your loved one.

To find quality incontinence products click here; http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/incontinence-product-finder/.

Lynn Wilson founded The CareGiver Partnership based on her experience in caring for loved ones as well as providing the highest level of customer service. She takes pride in offering personalized service that helps her customers find the best solutions for their individual needs. Now that her children are grown, Lynn enjoys spending time with her granddaughter while also helping to care for her mom. To find out how The CareGiver Partnership can serve you, call 1-800-985-1353 M-F 9-4 CDT.

Did Your Loved One Request Adult Diapers Or Did You Insist?

Adult Diapers

When it comes to being a caregiver for a loved one, you are going to deal with a lot of stress and a lot of unexpected things like urinary incontinence. It is quite common for many elderly individuals to lose control over their bladders as the muscle weaken with time or they could have another condition like a bladder infection or recovery from a stroke that is causing them to have urinary incontinence. As a caregiver you need to educate yourself on what incontinence is and look for ways in which  you can help to manage in so it doesn’t become a burden and a stress to you and your loved one; http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/landing/incontinence/.

There are various types of incontinence. Once you know what type your loved one has, you can look for products that will aid in the right treatment for it. Schedule an appointment with their doctor right away to discuss urinary incontinence and to find out what their treatment options are. It is likely that they will recommend some things like using adult diapers and other incontinence product to aid in the treatment and management of incontinence. They may also recommend that your loved one does some daily stretching and strengthening of their pelvic floor muscles to gain control over their bladder. Kegel exercises are the most common when it comes to improving problems with urinary incontinence. You need to help your loved one with the recommendations by their doctor in order to help improve their problem and to help them recapture their dignity again.

When urinary incontinence is unmanageable you have to get to the point where tough love may be necessary. You need to get your loved one into some incontinence products like adult diapers, even if they are unwilling to use them. Come to them with several samples of products so they can see that these products really aren’t so bad; http://caregiverpartnership.com/landing/samples/. If they don’t want to talk about it, simply place the products in their room and let them try them out on their own. Once they get used to them, they will find how nice it is to not worry about leaking all the time.

Depending upon how much urine loss they have throughout the day you may need to opt for adult diapers that have a lot of absorbency. Sample products are great as they help your loved one to see and feel which ones are comfortable and which ones will really offer them the type of protection that they need.

Not only do you need to provide your loved one with some good adult diapers you also need to consider offering them some wipes. These wipes will remove urine from the skin so they do not get rashes or urinary tract infections. It is important that you talk to them about the importance of cleaning the genitals because of all the side effects that arise. You also need to make sure they are changing their diapers often as it can cause these issues to arise. If they are worried about wasting money with the disposable products purchase some washable products for them. These products may make them feel comfortable about changing them often. Pads are another route to consider if they would like to keep their existing underwear and just need to have something to catch their urine loss.

Everyone has different body types and needs when it comes to urinary incontinence. Be sure that you are getting the right products for your loved one to help them properly manage their incontinence problems properly; http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/incontinence-product-finder/. Once they start using the products and you make them feel comfortable about incontinence you will find how much easier it is for both of you to manage it and reduce your stress.

Lynn Wilson founded The CareGiver Partnership based on her experience in caring for loved ones as well as providing the highest level of customer service. She takes pride in offering personalized service that helps her customers find the best solutions for their individual needs. Now that her children are grown, Lynn enjoys spending time with her granddaughter while also helping to care for her mom. To find out how The CareGiver Partnership can serve you, call 1-800-985-1353 M-F 9-4 CDT.

Dementia - Alzheimer's - Incontinence is a Common Problem


Alzheimer's

If you are the caregiver for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s you may have the additional challenge of dealing with incontinence. Many seniors who are suffering from these conditions also experience incontinence as a result of the loss of cognitive functioning. Many times caregivers must turn to using adult diapers as the best means of managing and dealing with incontinence issues since the patient is unable to manage the incontinence themselves. Adult diapers can be bought anywhere that incontinence products are sold. The caregiver may need to purchase additional incontinence supplies such as incontinence bed pads and wipes that are specially made to deal with incontinence. These can also be bought on sites that offer adult incontinence products. For help and guidance in selecting incontinence products please click on http://caregiverpartnership.com/incontinence-product-finder.  You can also choose samples to try by clicking on http://caregiverpartnership.com/landing/samples.

It is important to stress that no matter the neurological state of the patient whenever someone is experiencing incontinence they should be evaluated by a doctor. Keep in mind that the dementia or Alzheimer’s itself is not directly causing the incontinence. The incontinence is only a side effect of these conditions. This means that there could be another underlying medical reason for the incontinence. Because of this it is crucial that any patient who is having incontinence symptoms be evaluated by their doctor. This way the doctor can determine the cause of the incontinence and recommend any applicable treatment.

Because there are so many care issues that surround a patient with dementia or Alzheimer’s it can be easy to overlook incontinence symptoms. However, it is important that caregivers understand that this is not a problem that typically gets better on its own. Incontinence management typically takes on two different forms. Treatment and in home management are the two different areas that caregivers will need to focus on.

Because of the limited cognitive abilities of patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s doctors typically do not prescribe physical therapy or behavioral therapies. These types of treatments often depend on heavy involvement from the patient which is most often not possible when it comes to patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Instead doctors often rely on medication, or in severe cases of incontinence, surgery for their patients who are already dealing with neurological issues. It is important to understand that even when a patient has dementia or Alzheimer’s some cases of incontinence are highly treatable.

In home management of incontinence can be done in several different ways. First, one of the home management steps that can make dealing with incontinence more effective is for caregivers to help their loved one visit the bathroom on a regular schedule. Regular bathroom breaks can cut down on the amount of incontinence accidents. Keep in mind that your loved one may be reluctant to go but with gentle persuasion you can keep them on a regular voiding schedule

Finally, the caregiver should make sure that the patient has the right incontinence product to meet their needs. Because of the limited capabilities of patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s many caregivers find that adult diapers work well to help manage incontinence. These adult diapers are designed to deal with moderate to heavy incontinence. Keep in mind that there are incontinence products for men and incontinence products for women and adult diapers are no different. You should choose the gender, style, and level of absorbency that is best for your loved one. Adult diapers are easy to remove and change so that caregivers can help to keep their loved one in their care dry and comfortable. To find out more about all aspects of incontinence please visit http://caregiverpartnership.com/landing/incontinence.



Coping With Incontinence And The Elderly

Coping with Incontinence

Incontinence is something that most people are not comfortable discussing. More than 12 million residents of the United States suffer from incontinence, and many caregivers find that this is the most stressful part about their job. Whether you work as a nursing care facility member or you are caring for an elderly loved one, incontinence is something that is stressful and difficult to manage. You need to understand what it is and learn proper coping techniques so you can start offering the best care possible to your loved ones or patients; http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/landing/incontinence/.

What is Incontinence?
Urinary incontinence occurs when a loved one or patient is unable to control their bowels. They may have difficulty urinating or their bladder may release urine without warning. Incontinence is frequently seen in elderly individuals over the age of 60. It is common because the muscles in the body start to get weaker the older they get and these individuals may find that they have very weak pelvic floor muscles. This makes it hard for you to stop the flow of urine from the bladder. Both men and women can suffer from urinary incontinence although there seems to be a higher percentage of women that deal with it compared to men.

Talking about Incontinence
Speaking to someone about incontinence can be very embarrassing for them. This is why it is a good idea to get involvement from a doctor. They can clearly explain incontinence to the patient and the will check for other things as well like signs of dementia, enlarged prostate, etc. Since incontinence is linked to a number of other things it is very important that you go to a doctor with the patient and find out what your treatment options are and what you can do to make life easier for both of you. Since incontinence is embarrassing for elderly people it can often be easier for them to hear how to treat it from a doctor than to hear it from their own child. It sometimes registers more with them when they hear it from a doctor than hearing it from their child.

Eliminating Embarrassment
Caregivers really need to focus on the embarrassment that their loved ones feel over this condition. It often causes people to withdrawal from social situations and can really increase the risk of depression in the elderly. You need to make sure they are feeling comfortable and that they are not embarrassed. Be approachable about incontinence and come to them with products that can make managing incontinence easier; http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/incontinence-product-finder/. As they try out different products they may gain confidence again as these products really can help to hide the impact of incontinence. It can make their life easier and they can go out and enjoy social situations without worry. Many of the products on the market now are very discrete and can really improve their condition so other will not be able to detect that they are wearing adult diapers.

Offer Options
When it comes to incontinence you do not need to just have disposable diapers or nothing. You have multiple options that help to improve your situation and will prevent you from having unnecessary accidents. Use night time diapers and bed pads to prevent the mattresses from being ruined if you have an accident at night. Choose some samples to start with in order to see which ones offer you the best comfort and the right type of fit that you need; http://caregiverpartnership.com/landing/samples/.  Comfort and absorbency are the key to finding the right incontinence products that will improve your life and will be able to make it easier for you to recapture your dignity. As a caregiver, these products will really take off a huge burden from your shoulders and will make it easier for you to offer the best care to your loved one.

Lynn Wilson founded The CareGiver Partnership based on her experience in caring for loved ones as well as providing the highest level of customer service. She takes pride in offering personalized service that helps her customers find the best solutions for their individual needs. Now that her children are grown, Lynn enjoys spending time with her granddaughter while also helping to care for her mom. To find out how The CareGiver Partnership can serve you, call 1-800-985-1353 M-F 9-4 CDT.

Causes of Incontinence in Men and Women - Different Yet the Same

Incontinence in both Genders

Incontinence is as problem that affects both men and women. However, studies show that more women then men suffer from with this problem. You may be surprised to learn that in some cases the cause of the incontinence is the same in both sexes. However, this is not always the case. Many cases of incontinence are very specific to the gender of the patient. The important thing to know is that whether you are a man or a woman with incontinence there are both products available to help manage your incontinence and treatments that can reduce and even eliminate the problem.

Many women suffer with incontinence that is brought on by pregnancy and childbirth. When a woman is pregnant the stress of the developing fetus on the bladder can cause damage to both the bladder and the surrounding muscles. Unfortunately, this type of incontinence (known as stress incontinence), can show up many years later when a woman is experiencing leakage when any additional stress is put on her bladder. This can include but is not limited to: laughing, coughing, sneezing or any additional physical exertion.

The good news is that there is a wide variety of incontinence products for women. Women who are experiencing incontinence symptoms can find many different types of incontinence products that can help them manage their symptoms. These urinary incontinence products range from incontinence undergarments that protect the wearer to incontinence bed pads that can be used to protect beds and furniture from incontinence accidents.

Women who are looking for incontinence products need to understand that there is a variety of styles ranging from incontinence underwear that can be used with or without incontinence pads to adult diapers that can be used alone. Keep in mind that it may take some trial and error and using several different incontinence products before you find the right combination for your needs. For help and guidance in selecting incontinence products please click on http://caregiverpartnership.com/incontinence-product-finder.  You can also choose samples to try by clicking on http://caregiverpartnership.com/landing/samples.

Men often experience incontinence later in life as a result of having an enlargement of their prostate. When this happens the prostate will encircle the urethra and create a feeling of pressure that makes urinary control difficult. Many men find that making changes in their lifestyle like controlling what they eat or drink or even scheduling bathroom time can help to reduce the symptoms.

There are also incontinence products for men that meet their unique needs. Men who are experiencing incontinence can find what they need on many different online sites that sell incontinence supplies. Whether a man chooses to use a guard or wear incontinence underwear will depend on the severity of the incontinence symptoms.

As mentioned above there are many causes of incontinence that can affect either gender. These include but are not limited to: being overweight (obesity), smoking, unmanaged diabetes, damage to the urinary system, and many other reasons. It is important to understand that most often incontinence is a symptom of another problem which means that it is crucial to consult your doctor to obtain the right diagnosis and treatment recommendation.

It is important to know that no matter if you are male or female or the severity of your incontinence there is a wide range of adult incontinence products that are available to help you manage the problem. Depending on the severity of your incontinence you can choose from adult diapers or regular incontinence underwear that can provide protection for both men and women. These incontinence products for men and incontinence products for women can be found on many different sites where urinary incontinence products are sold. To find out more about all aspects of incontinence please visit http://caregiverpartnership.com/landing/incontinence.