Managing Urinary Incontinence in the Home

As seniors age, many things come into play – safety in the home and out, health conditions seniors face, the emotional ups and downs when dealing with the normal aging process, including the loss of loved ones. Whether someone is caring for an elderly relative or being employed to care for a senior, it is critical to the senior’s health and well-being for the caregiver to be sensitive to these issues and to interact in such a way that helps foster independence in the home for as long as possible.

Sometimes, this interaction is easy. Participating in activities such as playing games, walking in the park or cooking and eating with seniors keeps them engaged and fosters feelings of worthiness and self-esteem. However, a caregiver’s duties may stretch beyond those fun-filled moments and extend into the realm of uncomfortable topics. One such topic that is of concern among seniors is urinary incontinence.

 Incontinence may be tough to tackle and downright embarrassing for seniors, but it is important for caregivers to take a proactive approach to help seniors recognize and successfully deal with the condition. While many seniors may believe incontinence is a sign of the normal aging process, this is not necessarily true. Medical conditions and some medications can cause involuntary loss of urine. Women generally suffer incontinence due to weakened pelvic muscles. Enlarged prostate glands are often the cause of incontinence for men.

 

It is important for seniors to discuss issues of incontinence with their doctors, as incontinence is a symptom, not a disease itself. Understanding the different types of incontinence is crucial. Stress incontinence occurs during moments of laughter, sneezing, bending or lifting. Urge incontinence is caused by sudden bladder contractions causing an urgent need to urinate. Sometimes the bladder is unable to hold urine, causing involuntary overflow of urine. Functional incontinence occurs in seniors with dementia who may forget to use the restroom, or in those with impaired mobility who are unable to reach the toilet in time.

 The good news is there are ways incontinence can be treated and managed so seniors can continue to pursue active, happy lifestyles and be independent in their northern Michigan homes. The following are a few treatments that may be suggested and performed under a doctor’s care.

·         Strengthen pelvic muscles by performing Kegel exercises – the tightening and releasing of the muscles that control urine. Stronger muscles in this area enable seniors to hold urine in their bladders for longer periods of time.

·         Teach seniors to become more aware of their bodies’ signals, which aids in the training of strengthening pelvic muscles.

·         Chart voiding and leaking times to help seniors, including those with dementia, determine specific times they should use the restroom.

There are other factors that can contribute to incontinence. Alcohol and caffeine can cause incontinence in later years and exacerbate the problem once it surfaces. Excessive fluid intake and consumption of spicy foods, highly acidic foods such as tomatoes, citrus fruits and juices may contribute to the problem. Encourage seniors to pay attention to the foods they eat to determine if certain food affects their incontinence. Limit fluid intake before bedtime. Make sure bathrooms are easily accessible.

 If none of the above techniques help, there are medications available to treat some types of incontinence. Temporary, disposable devices can be used to insert in the urethra to stop involuntary urine flow. The use of adult incontinence pads or briefs can provide seniors the freedom to enjoy active lifestyles.

Learning about incontinence and its causes can help seniors successfully manage the condition. The first step is to encourage seniors to talk about their issues to help determine factors that contribute to their incontinence. Work together to find solutions that aid in alleviating incontinence and the embarrassing moments it may cause. By doing so, caregivers help to create positive attitudes and environments that cultivate happiness and well-being for the seniors in their care.

 References

 Schneider, Adina. MD. Managing incontinence in the elderly. Retrieved on February 4, 2012 from http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=14494.

 Sollitto, Marlo. How to control incontinence. Retrieved on February 4, 2012 from http://www.agingcare.com/Articles/managing-incontinence-144710.htm.

 Managing Incontinence in the Home – document outline provided by Comfort Keepers.

Seniors and Medications

Living independently is important to all of us, but especially to seniors. As they age, seniors face unique challenges, such as losing a spouse and elderly friends, changes in physical and mental abilities, and other general lifestyle changes that often occur during the golden years. Living in a comfortable and familiar environment becomes paramount to a senior’s happiness and feelings of well-being. As the relative, friend or caregiver of a senior, it is important for you to help seniors achieve this goal.

One area that deserves special attention with seniors is managing medications they take. Chances are the number of medications they are required to take increases with age, as seniors are often prone to medical conditions that are regulated by medicine.  Taking the medications is important. However, it is equally important for seniors and their family caregivers to understand what medicine the senior takes, to become knowledgeable about side effects, and also to determine whether there appear to be adverse effects of taking different types of medications at the same time. Mismanagement of medications can be detrimental and sometimes even life threatening.

Medication mismanagement can be minimal or extreme. Forgetting to take medication can cause obvious problems but may not be of great concern if it does not happen often. But, combining some types of medicines can cause critical adverse reactions and if a senior is required to take painkillers, addiction can raise its ugly head. For these reasons it becomes essential to keep seniors well informed of the hazards mismanagement of medications can cause and to keep the doctor informed all of medications the senior is taking and of any apparent adverse side effects.

Signs of medication misuse include dizziness, nausea, confusion and memory issues, increased falls, troubled sleeping patterns, incontinence, and even hallucinations. Malnutrition can also indicate improper medicine administration, because confused seniors may not eat properly. Seniors who become addicted to painkillers may become secretive regarding their use of those drugs and seek prescriptions from various doctors and pharmacies. In extreme but not uncommon cases, some medications – when mixed – can cause death.

Seniors who have trouble successfully managing medications are not alone. In fact, research indicates that approximately 40% of people entering nursing homes do so because they are unable to self-medicate in their homes. In addition, 30% of all hospital admissions for people over age 65 are directly attributable to missed doses or overdoses of medication.

With these statistics in mind, the medical community has offered advice and other solutions to help seniors manage medications in their own homes. When family members visit, it is an opportunity to remind seniors to take their meds at designated times. If possible, seniors are encouraged to keep logs of the times they take their medications in order to keep track, determine the time of their next dose and to prevent over-dosage. If you need help in northern Michigan, Comfort Keepers^®, offers solid solutions in the form of medication reminder devices. The Safety Choice^® TabSafe Medication System by Comfort Keepers stores medication and dispenses the proper dosage into a locked drawer at the bottom of the unit. If a dose is missed, the unit places a call to designated Comfort Keeper or other contact persons who can then call to remind loved ones to take their medicine. If no one is reached, a call to the monitoring station prompts a call or visit to the client or caregiver.

The use of one or all of these strategies can assist seniors who take multiple medications. It is also essential to make sure their doctors know of all medications seniors take so they can coordinate care and prescribe additional medicine, when needed, that will not cause adverse effects when combined with other meds. Others should keep a close eye on seniors who take medications to ensure seniors are properly administering their own meds.

Research shows seniors who live alone are more likely to inadvertently misuse medications. Knowledge is power, but control is key regarding medication management. The reward in helping seniors properly manage their medication is helping them achieve their ultimate goal of living healthy, independent lives in their own homes for as long as possible.

References

 Comfort Keepers (2012). Safety choice^® products. Retrieved on February 10, 2012, from http://www.comfortkeepers.com/technology-solutions/safetychoice-products.

 Agingcare.com (2012). Seniors and prescription drug addiction. Retrieved on February 10, 2012 from http://www.agingcare.com/Articles/help-for-elderly-prescription-addiction-133459.htm.

 Agingcare.com (2012). Surprising list of medications cause majority of senior overdoses. Retrieved on February 10, 2012 from http://www.agingcare.com/Articles/senior-drug-overdose-148701.htm.

 Caregivingstress.com (2012). The warning signs. Retrieved on February 10, 2012 from http://www.caregiverstress.com/senior-safety/health-information-management/senior-medication-management/warning-signs/.

 Marek, Karen Dorman. Ph.D., M.B.A., R.N., F.A.A.N. Antle, Lisa. A.P.R.N., B.C., A.P.N.P

U.S. National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health (2012). Chapter 18 medication management of the community-dwelling older adult. Retrieved on February 11, 2012, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2670/.