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.

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