A Guide To Taking Care Of Incontinence Issues In Your Elderly Loved One

Incontinence issues can be complex and need utmost sensitivity and skill to address. Incontinence can range from light leakage that needs a simple liner to a more severe condition marked by a total loss of control. Understanding the causes of incontinence and being aware of the different protection products available can help to rebuild confidence in your older loved ones, in turn improving their quality of life.

What is Incontinence?

Incontinence is the loss of bowel or bladder control. It is a common and embarrassing problem, but it is not a normal part of aging. Symptoms of incontinence can be mild, such as an occasional slight loss of urine. There are also more severe symptoms of incontinence with a complete loss of both bowel and bladder control. For most older adults, their symptoms fall somewhere in between mild and severe.

Types of Incontinence

• Stress incontinence happens to older individuals who experience pressure on their bladder from laughing, sneezing, heavy lifting, or coughing. A small amount of urine leaks out when they perform these activities. 
• Urge incontinence is when there is a strong urge to urinate but the older adult is not able to hold it long enough until he or she gets to the toilet. Those with urge incontinence have to urinate frequently and often wake up in the middle of the night with the urge to urinate.
• Mixed incontinence combines both stress and urge incontinence. Many older adults, especially females, suffer from this type of incontinence.
• Functional incontinence involves people who can hold the urge to urinate but are not able to get to the toilet on their own.
• Overflow incontinence is a regular leakage of a small amount of urine due to the bladder never emptying fully.
• Transient incontinence is temporary and can go away once the cause of the condition is treated.

Choosing the Right Incontinence Product

Incontinence care varies for each individual. Regardless of whether someone has mild or severe incontinence, he or she should be given access to quality products that help them better manage their individual condition. Without the right incontinence products, leaks can soil beds, clothing, and other furniture where the older individual sits on. This will involve tricky cleaning logistics which can be time-consuming and costly. The right incontinence products will also help reduce the need for rash cream as they absorb moisture from the skin and pelvis. The older adult will experience a lower risk of skin infection, dermatitis, and other medical issues.

Incontinence Cleanup and Maintenance

As compared to changing a baby’s diaper, an adult incontinence change can involve a greater volume of human waste, material waste, and odor. The volume of waste from an adult and frequency of changes each day can overwhelm a room. Hence, there are no specific product applications that have evolved to tackle the issue. There are proper diaper disposal systems that are designed to keep incontinence waste in its own place, separate from the home’s waste receptacle. For odor control, there are specially designed sprays for incontinence care that offer a quick fix to keep embarrassing odors to a minimum.