As people age, their ability to
control bladder and bowel functions can decrease for a variety of reasons.
Sometimes, the reason is reversible (such as a urinary tract infection). Other
times, the situation can’t be changed. If you’re providing care for a loved one
with incontinence, you can take steps to minimize stress on both of you. These
seven tips may help you cope.
1. Check with your loved one’s
health care provider. For all
new cases of bladder or bowel incontinence, get a physical examination to see
if the cause is treatable. Even though your loved one may not have symptoms
other than incontinence, there could be an underlying medical condition causing
the problem. If medical care resolves the incontinence issue, go back to your
health care provider if it crops up again.
2. Always be prepared. Pack a small tote bag with supplies such as
incontinence briefs or pads, wipes and even a change of clothes in case an
accident happens when you’re out and about together. Don’t allow your loved one
to become a hermit because of incontinence issues.
3. Wear clothes that are easy
to get on and off (or not).Slacks with an elastic
waistband can be pulled down quickly, enabling your loved one to get on the
toilet faster and possibly avoid an accident. And if you do have to help your
loved one with cleanup, easy-off garments make it simpler for you to undress
and re-dress them. On the other hand, people with dementia sometimes remove their
clothes at inappropriate times and places. In that situation, you obviously
would not want to dress your loved one in clothing that’s easy to remove.
4. Watch your loved one’s diet. Some foods make both bladder and bowel
incontinence worse. Avoid consuming caffeine (coffee, tea, some sodas),
chocolate, spicy foods and a lot of fresh or dried fruit.
5. Be empathetic. Losing control of bodily functions ranks
among the most stressful health issues, so approach the situation with patience
and tact to ease your loved one’s anxiety. You may find it helps reduce your
own stress level as well.
6. Adopt a matter-of-fact
approach. Care
professionals use this technique to overcome a client’s shyness or
embarrassment, and you can too. Use reassurance and a straightforward manner:
“Oh, that’s too bad you had an accident, but don’t worry. It happens to a lot
of people. Let me help you get cleaned up and into some dry, comfortable
clothes.” If you find incontinence caregiving uncomfortable, you may have to
fake this matter-of-fact attitude at first, and that’s OK. Pretty soon, you’ll
find it comes very naturally.
7. Accept help. Let’s face it: many caregivers who are
willing to provide all kinds of help to a loved one draw the line when it comes
to dealing with incontinence. It’s perfectly all right for you to set this
caregiving boundary. But your loved one still needs to maintain personal
hygiene, so don’t hesitate to call for reinforcements.
Search out non-medical
personal care services, such as those provided by the Home Instead
Senior Care®network. Home Instead® CAREGiversSM trained in personal care can help your
loved one in a dignified and professional way.
Incontinence can be a challenging issue for even the most
seasoned caregiver, and it’s a particularly common issue for seniors with
Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. For more tips specific to incontinence
and memory care, visit
the Dementia Support Network.
