Urinary Incontinence in Senior Citizens and Its Effects

Stress, urge, overflow and functional incontinence name the various types of incontinence experienced by seniors. Many seniors start to experience problems with urinary incontinence after they go through menopause for women or when males have prostate surgery or prostate problems. What is urinary incontinence and why is it such a problem for seniors? Urinary incontinence is when you have an involuntary loss of urine. Urinary incontinence can be very embarrassing as you have to deal with wet underwear and clothing along with smell and possibly staining your clothing. For many people urinary incontinence can also increase the risk of depression as people are embarrassed by their condition and they stop participating in social events because of the fear that they may have involuntary urine loss.

While exercise and diet will be able to help you manage urinary incontinence you may continue to have problems with it based on which type of incontinence you suffer from. This is why it is so important to purchase products that help to make your life easier if you are living with urinary incontinence. Wearing adult diapers or pads will be able to prevent you from feeling embarrassed as they will soak up the excess urine that may leak from your bladder at unexpected times.

Many senior citizens that deal with urinary incontinence are still able to live at home and can take care of themselves. However there is an increased risk of falls if a person is experiencing urinary incontinence, which may cause them to consider moving in with a loved one or moving to an assisted living facility. If a loved one is planning to move in with you, it is important that you understand the emotional and physical role you will be taking on. You must meet with your loved ones physician to understand what their condition is and to make sure you are modifying your home in a way to accompany their physical limitations.

With over 20 million people suffering from urinary incontinence it is easy to see why this is such a growing industry and why there are so many different products and options available for seniors. It is important to seek treatment for urinary incontinence and to use products that can assist in managing it or it may lead to painful bed sores and urinary tract infections.

Talking to a doctor is the first step to see which type of incontinence you have or a loved one has and to make sure you do not need surgery or another option to treat it. Most doctors will ask for a daily record in order to understand how many accidents are happening along with foods that are eaten and so forth. This information will make it easier for the doctor to figure out a treatment plan for the senior suffering from incontinence.

Modify the bathroom to make it accessible for the senior citizen. It is important to remove rugs and other things that they may trip over as they are rushing to get to the restroom. Motion lights at night time will make it easier to find the restroom for the senior. It is also a good idea to install railings or bars in the bathroom that will help them sit down and stand up easily. A raised toilet seat is another investment to make that will make it much easier for the senior to use the restroom and give their bladder relief. Purchase adult diapers or pads to absorb the urine that leaks throughout the day as this will make it easier to live with incontinence.