Have you noticed your elderly family member wetting the bed or themselves a little too often of late? Or do you constantly get the odour of urine when you are near them? If yes, chances are your elderly loved one is suffering incontinence of the bladder.
Urinary incontinence is a type of condition when the person does not have any control over the bladder movements, and as a result, ends up passing urine without being able to hold it in. Urinary incontinence happens to double the number of women than men.
Types Of Urinary Incontinence
Here are the main types of urinary incontinence that your elderly loved one could be suffering from:
Stress Incontinence
It is the type of incontinence that happens when there is a leakage of urine in your elderly at the time of doing something, such as doing a light exercise, laughing, coughing, sneezing or even lifting a light object. The most common reason for this is a weakness in the pelvic muscles. It could also be due to the weakening of the muscles that help to keep the bladder in place or because of weakness in the bladder. In the case of women, hormonal imbalance or lower amount of oestrogen could also lead to incontinence.
Urge Incontinence
It is the type of incontinence that happens when the person is not able to hold the urine for a long time and ends up leaking it, before reaching the toilet. In most cases, this type of incontinence happens with people who are already suffering from some other type of health condition such as diabetes, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, tumour or cancer in the uterus or bladder and so on.
Overflow Incontinence
It is the type of incontinence in which the person is not able to empty the bladder at one go. In such a situation, the person has some amount of urine left in the system at all times, which can lead to frequent leakage of urine in small amounts. Those who have diabetes or any type of injury to the spinal cord can also experience this type of incontinence. When you are unable to empty the bladder, you will either feel the urge to urinate frequently or keep leaking urine or even both.
Functional Incontinence
It is the type of incontinence in which the person does not have any problem with control over the bladder but still suffers from incontinence because he or she is not able to reach the toilet in time. This could be due to some health issue that the elderly is suffering from, such as arthritis or any other that could limit or delay mobility.
Importance Of Care Giver For Helping An Elderly With Incontinence
Here is how a home caregiver can help an elderly who are suffering from incontinence:
- A caregiver can help the person reach the bathroom in time so that there is no sudden leakage of urine. Many elderly people find it difficult to move fast enough, once they feel the urge to urinate. As a result, the urine leaks out on their dress. A caregiver will be able to assist the person in time by either helping them to walk faster or lifting them up and taking them to the bathroom.
- If the person is suffering from incontinence, he or she will need to be cleaned regularly, in order to avoid smelling of urine. The home caregiver will help to get the person out of the soiled clothes and clean them up, and also help them get into fresh and clean clothes. They will also help to keep the bed linen clean and take precautions to make sure that the bed is not soiled.
- In case there are medicines that the person takes for incontinence, the home caregiver will help the person take them on time and also keep a track of overall health on a daily basis. When required, he or she will also share it with the doctor.
- In case there is any pain or discomfort, or if you notice any spotting or blood in the urine, make sure to inform the doctor immediately.
Home care can be a very good option to make sure your elderly parents or relatives are cared for in an environment they are comfortable in and familiar with. You may bring in a professional caregiver or attendant to assist with some daily activities initially, and then switch to a full day or night care routine, or any other care program that works best.
You can get in touch with our team at Care24 to find out about the various options and customise the best home care plan for your elderly loved one.
