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.

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