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One of the biggest challenges for caregivers can be dealing with elderly incontinence. This is a difficult and emotion filled problem for both the caregiver and the senior.
Many elderly are embarrassed to admit they have a problem, feel powerless, and often times are angry at the lack of control. Caregivers also feel frustrated when dealing with the many facets of this issue. However, there are steps that can be taken, that will make dealing with elderly incontinence, easier for both the caregiver and the senior. Here is what you need to know about dealing with adult incontinence:
Understand the causes of incontinence-Many people assume that getting older is the reason behind incontinence. While this is true in part, there are other things that can contribute to incontinence. Some of these factors include: pregnancy and childbirth, painful bladder syndrome (interstitial cystitis), prostatitis, enlarged prostate and/or prostrate cancer, bladder cancer or bladder stones, neurological disorders, or obstruction. This is why it becomes crucial to have a medical evaluation, of your elderly loved one, to determine if there is an underlying cause for the incontinence.
Realize that all incontinence is not the same. Caregivers may be surprised to learn that there are several different types of incontinence. This includes: stress incontinence which is the most common type of incontinence among women. Experts feel that this may be due to weakened pelvic muscles, weakening in the wall between the bladder and vagina, or from a change in the position of the bladder. Urge incontinence is described as the experience of a frequent, sudden urge to urinate with little control of the bladder (especially when sleeping, drinking, or listening to running water). Urge incontinence generally has an underlying medical cause. Overflow incontinence is when a patient cannot completely empty their bladder, causing either a constantly full bladder requiring frequent urination or a constant dribbling of urine, or both. Functional incontinence is the most common type of incontinence among elderly patients with arthritis, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease. Many times these patients are unable to control their bladder, before reaching the bathroom due to limitations in moving, thinking, or communicating. Mixed incontinence is a combination of any of the above described conditions.
Research the treatment options. There is generally a three-pronged approach to treating incontinence. If the elderly patient is able there are certain behavioral techniques that can be learned, to help control incontinence. This can include exercises, biofeedback and other learned behaviors. Obviously this requires the cooperation and compliance of the elderly patient. Many times due to illness, age or other conditions, this is not a viable option for some seniors. There is a pharmaceutical approach. Doctors have a successfully used some drugs, in the treatment of elderly incontinence. The patient’s medical history, along with any other drugs that are currently being taken will have to be evaluated closer to reduce the risk of drug interaction, and potential side effects. As a final resort, there is a surgical approach to treatment. Most doctors only resort to this if everything else has failed, and use surgery to only treat the worst cases of incontinence.
Make some lifestyle changes-While dealing with incontinence is never easy, there are some lifestyle changes that can help. Certain foods may make incontinence worse, so changing the diet of the senior can be helpful. In addition, make sure that there is a clear path to the bathroom and the senior is wearing clothes that easy to get on and off.
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To learn more about the variety of incontinence products available, use the Incontinence Product Finder, a free tool provided by The CareGiver Partnership.
Watch the video: How to choose the right incontinence product
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About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visit http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/ to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.
1 comments:
This is a nice article and informative, too. Thanks lot for sharing such nice information.
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