Incontinence is common in older adults yet no less embarrassing. However, bladder and bowels issues can be managed and help seniors feel less ashamed. Caregivers should use the following tips to help their elderly care recipients stay clean and dry and feel less embarrassed.
What is incontinence?
Seniors who suffer incontinence have difficulty controlling when they urinate or have a bowel movement. It is the accidental leakage of urine or feces. While incontinence can happen at any age, it is more predominant in people over the age of 65.
What are various types of incontinence?
Incontinence may fall into any one of the following types: urgency, functional, stress, overflow, mixed, or total. Urgency incontinence is when the senior is unable to hold their urine long enough to reach a bathroom. The older adult is overcome by a sudden, strong urgency to urinate.
Functional incontinence is similar to urgency incontinence in that the senior fails to reach a restroom on time; however, the difference is that functional incontinence is a result of a physical condition, such as arthritis, an injury, or other disability.
Stress incontinence occurs when the aging adult leaks urine upon coughing, laughing, exercising, or lifting heavy objects. Physical movements like these put pressure on the bladder, causing accidental leakage. Overflow incontinence is when the senior’s urine exceeds their bladder’s capacity to hold it.
Mixed incontinence is a combination of one or more types of incontinence, like stress and urge incontinence. Total incontinence occurs when the senior has uncontrollable bladder leakage; the individual’s sphincter muscle loses function and becomes a challenge to effectively treat.
What causes incontinence in seniors?
Incontinence may come on suddenly or develop gradually. The causes behind this condition are many and varied. In women, for instance, menopause can trigger the start of incontinence. This is because estrogen levels drop—and estrogen keeps the bladder and pelvic muscles healthy.
In men, incontinence may occur after they have prostate surgery or live with an enlarged prostate. For reasons unknown, smokers tend to experience a higher risk of incontinence issues more often than nonsmokers. Being overweight puts pressure on the bladder, leading to urinary leaks.
Elderly people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease can suffer from incontinence. Other serious health issues that cause the condition include Parkinson’s disease, stroke, constipation and multiple sclerosis. Nerve and muscle damage are also responsible for causing seniors’ bladder or bowel issues.
How is incontinence managed in seniors?
1. Visit a Doctor for a Diagnosis
Incontinence can be managed with the help of a medical professional, such as a primary care doctor, a geriatrician, a nurse practitioner or a urinary specialist. A urologist is an option for men and women, while a urogynecologist may be preferable to women.
2. Participate in Behavioral Therapy
A health care practitioner makes the diagnosis and recommends various treatment options. Behavioral therapy is a first line of treatment for incontinence. Through sessions, the older person learns to delay urination by incrementally lengthening time between trips to the bathroom.
3. Perform Pelvic Muscle Exercises
Kegels is an exercise that seniors can perform to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles, which help regulate urination. The exercise involves tightening the pelvic muscles for three seconds at a time and then relaxing for another count of three. Perform Kegels a few times per day to see results.
4. Modify a Daily Diet
Certain foods and beverages worsen incontinence. Bladder stress is likely after drinking carbonated beverages and alcohol. Drinking coffee or tea while taking prescription medication can also aggravate the condition. Avoid bladder irritants, like honey, milk, and acidic or spicy foods.
5. Set a Bed-wetting Alarm
Older people who experience incontinence at night can set a bed-wetting alarm, which may be placed under the bedsheet or attached to pajamas. The device detects the presence of fluids and sounds an alarm. The senior awakens and has time to reach the bathroom.
6. Adjust Prescription Medications
Certain medications, such as diuretics, sleeping pills and anti-depressants, can cause or worsen incontinence. If incontinence is a side effect of current medications, it’s recommended that seniors speak to their doctor about adjusting the medication or seeking other treatment options.
7. Use an Insertable Device
Leaks due to stress incontinence can be prevented with a pessary, a ring that repositions the urethra in females. The soft, removable device is available at the doctor’s office or over the counter. However, it’s advisable to have measurements taken at the physician’s office to ensure the right fit.
8. Take Incontinence Medications
Drugs are available to prevent bladder spasms. Seniors have a range of drug options, such as anticholinergics to calm an overactive bladder. Mirabegron relaxes the bladder muscle and increases the amount of urine it can hold. Men can take alpha blockers that make it easier to empty the bladder.
It’s important that seniors manage their incontinence issues to stay hygienic and avoid embarrassment. Older adults who suffer from incontinence and need help changing their diet or receiving medication reminders find the necessary support from dedicated caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care.
Our highly rated senior home care agency prioritizes the comfort, health, and safety of older adults. We undertake several responsibilities to help them live independently in the comfort of home. Included in our non-medical care services are medication reminders, light housekeeping, and companionship.
Professional caregivers assist seniors with personal hygiene tasks, such as toileting, bathing, and dressing. We provide discreet and respectful support with incontinence issues. If the senior needs to visit a doctor for bladder control problems, we provide safe transportation and escort.
Home care options are flexible and range from intermittent respite care to 24-hour care. Our professionals are licensed, bonded, and insured to give seniors and their families peace of mind. Caregivers are also trained in CPR and first aid and know how to respond in an emergency.
Whether your aging loved one suffers from incontinence or any other health condition, Assisting Hands Home Care can help with compassionate in-home care. We are privileged to serve the elderly in Palm Bay, Barefoot Bay, Melbourne, Rockledge, Viera and the surrounding areas throughout all of Brevard County, FL. Schedule a free in-home consult today to explore our comprehensive care options.
