How To Manage Incontinence: Tips From A Nurse
Incontinence is the inability to control ones urination or defecation. In most situations, it leads to a high dependence on caregivers to care for patients at home. Good management of incontinence is essential in preventing the occurrence of pressure ulcers and infections, as well as to enhance ones dignity and quality of life.
At Jaga-Me, we believe in empowering caregivers to care for their loved ones. Hence, we have prepared this special piece to reinforce the basics of incontinence management and share some caregiving;tips and advice from our Jaga-Me nurses!
Skin Care & Incontinence
People with incontinence are likely to have skin irritation and a general feeling of discomfort after a leakage of urine or stools. Thus, it is very important to act quickly and make sure the person feels comfortable by ensuring good hygiene:
- In the case of becoming wet or soiled, the person should be washed afterwards with mild soap and warm water, and dry carefully before putting on clean clothes and fresh pads, with assistance if necessary.
- Soiled clothes, reusable pads or bedding should be washed immediately, or soaked in an airtight container until they are washed.
- Used pads should be stored in an appropriate container and disposed of as soon as possible.
- Moist toilet tissues may be suitable for minor accidents, but be aware that some can cause an irritating rash.
- If signs of a skin rash appear, use ointments on skin to prevent worsening of symptoms.
Fabulous Four Tips To Convince Your Loved Ones To Wear Adult Pull Ups
Are you facing problems while convincing your elderly parent to wear adult pull-ups or diapers?
Well, your problem is similar to that of a million others; so dont worry! Most people who need to wear adult diapers do not agree for the same, because of which their loved ones face anxiety. If you belong to that category of people who have tried a hundred ways of convincing their loved ones to wear diapers, but failed, this blog is going to be extremely useful to you. It is going to be interesting, as you will come across a full proof solution to your problem.
There are a few tactics that never fail when convincing them to wear adult pull-ups. So, have a look at some of the most important tips for the same. Here we go
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Four Tips For More Effective Bladder Emptying
For people affected by incontinence, emptying the bladder completely during a toilet visit has many benefits. Doing this effectively reduces the chances of bacteria thriving in remaining urine and causing urinary and skin infections and from a care perspective, it means your loved one is more comfortable and the practical burden on you can be reduced. However, if this person suffers from dementia and incontinence, this can create new challenges. Here are our top four tips to more effective bladder emptying in these circumstances.
Its important to understand the special needs of the person with dementia, apply our tips every day and help them void more effectively. We hope this information makes a positive difference to the life of your loved one as well as for you as a caregiver.
Medical Treatment For Incontinence
The treatments range from antibiotics, anticholinergics, surgical intervention to simply adapting to the incontinence with the use of diapers.anticholinergic medications that treat incontinence interfere or counteract with the medications that are also treating dementia.;
- Treat the cause of the problem. The doctor can help find the causes and suggest how to treat them.
- Review medicines with the physician. Medicines may help, but they can also make people more confused, and make bladder and bowel control problems worse.
- Dietary Adjustments:
- Avoid drinking coffee, tea and cola. They have a lot of caffeine, which can upset the bladder and make the bladder harder to control.
- Consume fruits and vegetables, drink lots of water through the day, and stay active in order to treat constipation.
- Drink 1.5 to 2 litres of fluid per day.;Drinking water can help treat bladder infections, make the bowels work better and keep the bladder healthy.
- Lifestyle Adjustments:
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Incontinence In Older People
In some cases, older people have a higher risk of incontinence because of a medical condition, which may be treatable. Medical causes of incontinence in older people include:
- urinary tract infection this is where bacteria get into the tube that empties pee from the bladder out of the body. This can lead to infection of the bladder or kidneys. Symptoms can include a sudden urge to pee, pain or a burning feeling when peeing, a fever and urinary incontinence. A urinary tract infection can usually be treated with antibiotics
- constipation this is uncomfortable and makes both emptying and controlling the bladder more difficult. Constipation is also a very common cause of faecal incontinence. When the bowel gets full of very hard poo which cannot be passed, liquid poo can leak out from around the edges of the blockage. It is easy to confuse this with diarrhoea
- prostate gland problems these affect men, and may be treatable
- side effects of medication the GP may be able to address these by changing the persons prescription or altering the dose
- other gut conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome .
Many people find it embarrassing to talk about these problems, and this can stop them from seeking help from health professionals. GPs and specialists deal with issues like these frequently and its important to get advice and support from them. Medical causes can often be treated or managed.
What To Tell The Doctor
- Number of times per day the person is incontinent?
- Is it urinary incontinence or faecal incontinence or both?
- When did the problem start?
- Are the persons clothes saturated or whether is the person just producting a trickle?
- Is there any increase in confusion or any change in behavior?
- Does the person have fever or pain when going to the toilet?
- List of the patients current medication.
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How To Respond To Problems With Dressing In Dementia
One area that can be difficult for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia is getting dressed independently. They may experience a variety of problems, including:
- Forgetting how to zip up zippers or button the buttons on garments.
- Being determined to wear the same outfit every day.
- Layering several articles of clothing on top of each other.
- Putting clothing on in the wrong order such as underwear on the outside of pants.
- Wearing clothing that is not at all appropriate for the weather. For example, she might attempt to go outside in the middle of winter in shorts and a T-shirt.
- Becoming overwhelmed by too many choices in a closet and unable to choose clothing.
- Removing clothing in public places.
- Changing clothing frequently throughout the day.
Challenges with dressing are difficult because they can affect several different areashygiene, safety, and social appropriateness. Some people with dementia want to wear the same clothing every day, whether it’s clean or covered with stains, fresh-smelling or full of offensive odors, matching or clashing, and appropriate for the weather or not.
The Importance Of Healthy Bowels
The most important action that can be taken to prevent toilet and incontinence problems is to keep the urinary tract and bowels healthy. This is done by managing the fluid intake and diet, as they play a crucial role in bladder and bowel functions.;
The caregivers must ensure that people with dementia are well hydrated by drinking six to eight glasses of water each day, or more, depending on stool consistency. In addition, they should have a balanced high fiber diet, including fruit, vegetables, and wholemeal bread, to ensure a regular bowel movement. In the case of constipation, the caregivers should be careful with laxatives because they should not be used for periods of time without permission or advice from a healthcare professional. Also, Caregivers can learn to massage the person’s abdomen to relieve the blockage.
In order to maintain a healthy bladder and bowels, people who suffer from dementia must avoid too much caffeine or alcohol and if possible should practice regular exercise to help with bowel movements.
Do NOT withhold Fluids: This can cause dehydration, which can lead to a urinary tract infection, increased incontinence and agitated behavior. However, fluid intake should be limited before bed to prevent the urge to urinate during the night.
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How Often Should I Change The Diapers
Adult diapers must be changed frequently to prevent skin infections and rashes. The frequency largely depends on ones lifestyle, health, and budget. For most, diaper changes occur 5 to 8 times a day. This means that an average person with incontinence would need at least 150 diapers a month.
In addition, caregivers of people who are less mobile should conduct frequent checks to ensure that diapers are immediately changed when soiled.
As diapers are bulky in nature, we recommend ordering adult diapers online for it to be delivered straight to your home, as compared to buying it in person.
Tips For Caregivers: Management
Medications are available to calm an overactive bladder, if overactive bladder is the cause of the incontinence. But some have side effects that can make dementia worse. Talk with the doctor about options that apply to the person youre caring for. In some cases, where incontinence is caused by an underlying medical condition, treating the condition may help.
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How Can I Help My Older Adult Get To The Bathroom In Time Particularly At Night
Its important to make the path to the bathroom as short as possible and clear of obstacles to avoid nighttime falls.
Making it as easy as possible to find and use the toilet increases the chances that your older adult will avoid an accident.
Simple changes can make a big difference. For example, try leaving the bathroom door open, installing a light-up toilet seat and creating a path with duct tape and/or nightlights leading to the bathroom.
In some cases, you may also want to place a bed pad in the bed in case they sleep through the urge to go.
Useful Incontinence Products For Seniors: Liners
NorthShore Heavy Duty Liners– These are extra-long and extra absorbent pads that can be used in regular underwear. When pull-on underwear or tab-style briefs may not be an option your loved one, you can use liners known as large shaped pads. The largest liner in the 2XL size holds up to 32 ounces. Please be sure to call for sizing assistance, these liners are fairly long and are not made for all body types.;
These pads really help my husband during the night. He is incontinent from dementia. His depends just werent able to do the job overnight. I no longer have to change his mattress pad during the night.
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Emotionally Supporting Your Loved One
People with dementia tend to be confused and disturbed, for that reason, it is essential to provide support, comfort, and dignity to these patients.
- Stay calm and do not get upset. If your loved one knows what is happening, getting stressed and upset is only going to make things more difficult. Talk in a calm tone, and remember, it is a normal situation.
- Reassure the person to reduce feelings of embarrassment by, for example, saying That is something spilled on you” instead of “You wet yourself” so that the person doesnt feel guilty.
- Respect the need for privacy as much as possible when the patient goes to the toilet.
Improving Continence In The Toilet
- running the tap or giving the person a drink of water if they are having trouble urinating
- allowing them to get up and down a few times if they are restless or hyperactive, and will not sit on the toilet
- giving something to distract them while they are on the toilet music may have a calming effect.
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Determining When Living Alone Is No Longer Safe Or Desirable
When people with dementia no longer understand their own safety and canât look after themselves, family members and health-care professionals may need to weigh the risks of living alone against the benefits of supporting him to live at home.
In many families, caregiving falls to one person. Hold a family meeting when he is at an early stage of the disease, so that you can plan what each family member can realistically do to help, now and in the future.
Determine The Cause Of Incontinence
Im aware that just changing the words you use isnt going to completely solve the problem. When incontinence becomes even an occasional issue, its important for your loved one to see their doctor about it. It may be caused by something straightforward, such as a urinary tract infection or an over active bladder , or a more serious underlying issue like prostate problems in men or pelvic organ prolapse in women.
Most likely, youve taken your elder to the doctor to address the issue. After testing to determine the type of incontinence your loved one is experiencing, their doctor may be able to recommend pelvic floor exercises, minor surgical procedures and even medications that can help manage incontinence symptoms. Sometimes a second opinion from a urologist is a good idea. For seniors experiencing fecal incontinence, make an appointment with a gastroenterologist. If you identify and treat whats causing a loved ones symptoms, then adult briefs and other protection may wind up being unnecessary.
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What Will The Doctor Do
- How much water does the patient drink every day?
- What foods is the patient eating?
- Does the patient have any control over urination?
- Is the problem better or worse during the daytime or at night?
- Is it linked to a physical condition ?
- When did the incontinence first appear?
- Is the patient upset by their incontinence?
- How many episodes does the patient have and in what time period?
- Does the patient understand the signal or urge to urinate or are they unaware of the need?
- Is there a burning or painful sensation when the patient needs to urinate?
What You Will Need
If you are the one responsible for changing a loved one’s diapers, it is a good idea to store all of the needed supplies near the bed so that you are not scrambling for things when there is an accident. These include:
- Disposable medical gloves
- A clean adult diaper
- A plastic grocery bag
- Pre-moistened wipes, such as baby wipes or wet wipes
- Skin protection barrier cream
Make sure these supplies are dedicated to diaper changing only. It is important, for example, not to share barrier cream. Moreover, if you store all of your supplies in one place, you are less likely to accidentally run out of wipes or skin cream.
Consider hiring or purchasing a hospital bed if you don’t already have one. It makes caring for a bedridden person easier and can also make them feel more comfortable.
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Why Seniors Refuse To Wear Adult Diapers
The topic of adult diapers is an uncomfortable one that many families choose to ignore. But when it comes to your mom, finding her some sanitary protection for incontinence may be necessary to ensure her health and well-being. To better understand her perspective, here are some of the main reasons why seniors refuse to wear adult diapers:
When All Else Fails Let Them Work It Out
Im aware that there are times when none of the above tips will work for well-meaning family caregivers. Our elders are in charge of their lives and daily choices. While our gentle suggestions come from a good place, there is little we can do about issues like this while they are still competent to make their own decisions. Do what you can to get them medical help, treat them with respect and dignity, and then let go.
Time may take care of the very things you pushed so hard to correct. Sometimes, when we leave people alone to work out their problems, they stop resisting and tackle them head on. However, if their living situation is extremely dire and you feel it constitutes elder self-neglect, call your local Adult Protective Services agency. A welfare check may be needed to make some positive changes in your loved ones life.
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Incontinence & The Doctor
A medical exam is required in order to evaluate the severity and cause of incontinence. The patient with dementia should start by visiting the individuals primary doctor.;This professional will be the most familiar with the patients health history. Then, a visit to the urologist may be required in orde to better evaluate the clinical condition.