Each day, adults from every lifestyle are discovering that they’ve been diagnosed with urinary incontinence. While this condition can affect adults of any age, it usually occurs during the senior years, and it’s especially prevalent for adults over the age of 65.
Is incontinence a normal part of aging?
It is for some people. However, in addition to aging, certain health conditions can cause one to become incontinent, as well as lifestyle choices. Regardless of what causes it, an average of 25 million Americans experience mild to heavy incontinence, requiring solutions for effective and discreet incontinence care.
If you are looking for suggestions on how to deal with elderly incontinence, the information in this quick guide can help provide workable ideas for a home-based incontinence management plan. This information is also useful for caregivers seeking ways to make urinary incontinence treatment for elderly clients manageable.
Behavioral Therapy Strategies
Typically, an incontinence management plan involves some type of behavioral therapy (BT). As its name suggests, treatment involves adapting behaviors that help keep the condition under control. Some, or all, of these therapeutic remedies can be incorporated into a urinary incontinence treatment for elderly people with this condition, but which ones may depend on the person’s level of independence and other lifestyle or medical factors.
Managing Fluid Intake and Diet
The type and amounts of beverages consumed during the course of the day can play a role in how often someone gets the urge to urinate. For instance, some common beverages can aggravate the bladder, leading to an increased urge to release fluid from the bladder. Favorites that may have to be eliminated or restricted in quantity include carbonated sodas, milk, alcohol and tea. Removing or reducing bladder irritants such as honey and spicy foods may also be necessary to improve bladder control.
Delaying Urination
Extending the length of time between urges to urinate is a proven way to gain more control over the bladder. This behavior therapy technique takes time and patience to learn and it’s a gradual process. Double voiding is another delaying technique that can help with control. This technique involves urination as normal, waiting a few minutes, and then completely releasing what remains in the bladder.
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Pelvic floor exercises is one of the most recommended remedies for those seeking adult incontinence advice. Also known as kegels, these targeted movements help strengthen pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder. Doing these exercises regularly a few times a day can help reduce leaks. They must be done correctly to reap the benefits. Using kegel exercise tools such as a traditional exerciser or biofeedback exerciser can make this type of workout easier.
Scheduling Bathroom Visits
Some may find this method too restrictive, but this technique does work for those who may want or need a structured way to increase control. Bathroom visits can be scheduled for certain times of the day, before or after meals or tasks, etc.
Essential Home Care Tips
There are other things you can do to enhance the quality of incontinence care.
Keep Skin Clean, Dry and Moisturized
The excess moisture associated with incontinence can cause mild to severe skin irritation. Avoid this with quality incontinence skincare products such as cleansing wipes and skin protecting creams.
Slip-and-Fall Protection A dash to the bathroom can result in an unexpected slip-and-fall accident. Taking measures to ensure bathroom safety can help prevent these accidents. Secure the bathroom with protective toilet support and grab bars where needed.