Managing Incontinence in the Elderly

Incontinence can be stressful and frustrating
Here are helpful tips to make it easier

As a caregiver to an elderly person, incontinence is one issue that you may have to contend with. Many times, dealing with and managing an elderly loved one that is dealing with incontinence can be a very stressful and frustrating process. Incontinence is when a person has lack of bladder or bowel control. As a caregiver you may feel like you are helping an infant again as you have to change diapers, clean up urine and feces, and deal with a lot of messes. Most people that are dealing with incontinence have to worry about problems like urinary tract infections, skin rashes, and other conditions as well. Elderly individuals that have incontinence may end up with a broken hip as they try to rush to the restroom and end up falling or tripping on their way there.

As a caregiver you can help to make living with incontinence a little easier on them by following some of these tips:

1. Remove clutter from the home and make it easy to find the bathroom. If you are able to make it much easier for them to find the bathroom you are less likely to have problems with them falling on the way and they will not have as many accidents as they can make it in time. Use lights at night that are motion activated so they will light the way to the restroom. You can also install safety bars in the home that help them to get support as they walk to the restroom. Using a taller toilet seat is also beneficial and it makes it easier for them to get on and off the toilet.

2. If your elderly loved one cannot reach the toilet in time, purchase a portable toilet that they can use. Most of these individuals will likely have urge incontinence and that causes the sudden urge to go to the bathroom. It ends up that many of them cannot make it on time and end up having accidents.

3. Purchase a walker or cane if they are having balance problems. This helps to increase mobility and will make it easier on them to get the restroom safely.

4. Incontinence products like adult diapers can help to cut down on the messes that you have to deal with. You need to purchase reusable or disposable diapers or pads that they can use in order to manage incontinence. Sheet protectors at night are also a wise investment as they will prevent moisture from getting onto your mattresses. To find quality incontinence products visit this page: http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/incontinence-product-finder/.

5. Be sympathetic to them as this is a very embarrassing condition for many people. Many elderly people will withdraw from social events and activities because they are so embarrassed by their condition. There are many others that will end up becoming very depressive as they struggle to live with incontinence. Using adult diapers and pads will help to make the condition a little more manageable for them and they are less likely to be as embarrassed about living with incontinence.

                                 Watch this video - how to choose the right incontinence product

Like any medical condition it is important that you speak to a doctor. Make sure your elderly loved one is opening up to the doctor about their issues as they may be able to treat it with dietary changes or even doing Kegel exercises to help improve the pelvic floor muscles.  Millions of Americans suffer from incontinence so it is important to remind them that they are not alone and to reassure them that there are methods to try and products to use that will help them to avoid embarrassment and live a happier life. To learn more about incontinence and tips for caregivers of elderly loved ones please continue reading at: http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/landing/incontinence/.

Call us.  We're here to help.

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.

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