Caring for a senior can be stressful, especially if they are suffering from incontinence. Caregivers frequently struggle to find a way to balance their lives while caring for their loved ones and taking care of themselves. Home incontinence care, in particular, can be challenging for family caregivers.
The environment caregivers create for themselves and their loved ones must be encouraging and supportive because they have more responsibilities than ever. And it all starts with having a better understanding of what the sufferer is going through. They are going through significant changes that might take some time to accept, just like the caregiver.
If you’re a caregiver looking to provide the best continence care possible, we’ve put together a few pointers for you to consider. These will assist your loved ones in becoming self-sufficient at home and allow you to form better relationships with them in this challenging situation.
1. Use the right incontinence products
Using the proper incontinence aids will help reduce the amount of clean-up required when providing incontinence care. If the person is suffering from incontinence issues, they must use quality adult diapers to help with hygiene and use its absorbent feature to absorb any urinary leakage.
Significantly, use specially designed incontinence aids; for instance, use a product with maximum absorption and breathability for night-time use. This will aid the user in getting a good night’s sleep.
2. Talk with your loved one or someone you care about incontinence
Having a conversation about incontinence is not simple. At first, de adult diapers aling with it can be upsetting and embarrassing, which makes caregivers and their loved ones anxious. However, being viewed as an ally rather than an enemy will help you in your role as a caregiver, as having a conversation would create a bond leading to a good relationship.
Be casual, sympathetic, and straightforward in your approach. Significantly, it is vital to remember that incontinence is a medical issue.
To manage incontinence, one must first have a doctor evaluate the issue. Numerous conditions, such as prostate problems, medications, and urinary tract infections, can all contribute to incontinence, which is often treatable. Having a medical expert evaluate and diagnose the condition ensures that your loved one will receive the proper care.
3. Keep a Schedule
Keep a written record of all bathroom visits. Also, note the time of day and the amount of urination every time your loved one goes to the bathroom (small, medium, or large). This allows your loved one to develop a pattern and can assist you in creating a bathroom schedule that meets their physical needs while reducing accidents. This will also give you an incontinence “journal” to show to your loved one’s doctor.
A good starting point is to go to the bathroom first thing in the morning, followed by a bathroom trip every 2 hours throughout the day. Bathroom breaks are also advised right before meals or activities. Increase the time between bathroom trips gradually over several weeks until you are confident that the schedule meets your loved one’s needs.
Besides, allow them enough time on each trip to empty the bladder. Remember that a partially empty bladder can increase the risk of developing a UTI (urinary tract infection) and an incontinence episode.
4. Waterproof the mattress, sofa, and chairs
Cleaning up is a significant concern in incontinence care as accidents leave a stinky mess on your elderly relative’s clothes and furniture. However, you can wash clothing and bedding in a washing machine. However, trying to clean and deodorize something that you can’t easily clean, such as a mattress or easy chair, is understandably stressful and exhausting.
Waterproof the furniture your elderly relative uses most to avoid the problem and make clean-up easier. Considering leaks are common, multiple layers are usually required to protect these surfaces completely. Try these top waterproofing tips for their bed and pillows.
Significantly, spray a fabric protector on couches and easy chairs before layering with waterproof sofa covers, seat protectors, or extra-large absorbent towels.
5. Choose clothing that’s easy to launder and change
It might be time to change your clothing to prevent accidents and make incontinence care easier. Clothing that is difficult to put on and take off may help in causing accidents. They also make cleaning up afterward difficult.
Pants with an elastic waistband, for example, are quicker to pull down than pants with a regular zip fly. This will allow your elderly relative to use the restroom more quickly and, hopefully, reduce the chances of having an accident.
Many clothing items from major retailers will work. Moreover, you should avoid clothing with multiple fastenings (no button-fly pants), difficult clasps, tricky zippers, or tight openings. Adaptive clothing designed for easy access may work even better depending on your older adult’s needs.
Many of today’s adaptive clothing designs are discreet, stylish, and simple to put on and take off. Try a back-zip jumpsuit if your elderly relative has Alzheimer’s or dementia and has a habit of inappropriately removing their clothes or incontinence briefs.
Bottomline
It is critical to recognize that our loved ones cannot always communicate their continence needs verbally. It is vital for those working with this patient group to incorporate interpersonal and communication skills into the context of incontinence care if the issue is to be maintained during an acute admission. In the acute setting, continence care should be tailored to the individual and developed in collaboration with staff and caregivers.
