Unfortunately, as a family caregiver for someone with dementia, you may have to deal with incontinence. This is when your elderly loved one loses control of their bowel or bladder. Your elderly loved one may not recognize they need to go to the bathroom. If your elderly loved one is having accidents, the first step is for you or an elder care provider to take them to the doctor. There are some others tips for helping your elderly loved one with incontinence, as well.
Reassurance is Important
Your elderly loved one is not having accidents on purpose. It is very important to not make them feel even more embarrassed about the situation. You should do your best to reassure your elderly loved one that you understand the disease is at fault and it isn’t on them. Make sure to stay calm when your elderly loved one has an accident. This can help to keep the situation more under control.
Get Them Better Clothing
If your elderly loved one is having incontinence, it could be because they can’t get their clothes off in time before they need to use the bathroom. You should get your elderly loved one better clothing. The best clothes are those with elastic instead of the ones with zippers and buttons. This way, your elderly loved one can easily get the clothing out of the way, so they can use the bathroom.
Be Close to the Bathroom
Where is the bathroom in your elderly loved one’s house? If it is upstairs, that could make it very difficult for your elderly loved one if they are usually on the main floor of their house. If your elderly loved one is having incontinence, you or the elder care providers should try to keep them on the floor of their bathroom most of the day, if possible. This way, they are less likely to have an accident.
Reducing Fluids Before Bed
If your elderly loved one is having accidents at night, it may be best to reduce the amount of fluids they have in the few hours before bed. You may want to consider getting depends or adult diapers for your elderly loved one, as well.
Conclusion
If you and your elderly loved one’s elder care providers implement these tips, you can better handle incontinence in your elderly loved one. Dementia is a progressive disease that affects a lot of bodily functions. Keep that in mind if your elderly loved one has incontinence anytime after being diagnosed with dementia.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering elder care in Madison, WI please contact the caring staff at Agape Senior Services Madison today. (608) 841-1004
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