Managing Incontinence

5 Tips to Help Your Parents Manage Incontinence

As individuals age, incontinence can become a difficult challenge to surmount. Helping your elderly loved one through this difficulty may be overwhelming, as it can be embarrassing for both of you. However, there are ways to manage incontinence and prevent it from running your elderly loved one's life. Below are five different ways to help.

1. Visit a doctor. If there is an underlying problem causing incontinence it is important that your elderly loved one is treated. Furthermore, a doctor may be able to treat incontinence in and of itself and provide other useful tips to you and your loved one. Before making an appointment, it is important that you and your elderly loved one have an honest conversation about the issue to ensure that the doctor receives all of the information necessary to treat the problem.
2. Install a raised toilet. If your elderly loved one is able to get to the bathroom but cannot get to the toilet in time, the issue may be that they are having a difficult time sitting down. As individuals age it becomes increasingly harder to sit and stand, which can cause an issue if they must use the restroom. A raised toilet can often solve this problem.
3. Ensure that the bathroom is accessible. Your elderly loved one may have a difficult time getting to the bathroom because it is in a remote part of the house or there are obstacles, such as furniture, in the way. Remove any items that may be blocking the path to the restroom to allow your elderly loved one to access the room as easily and quickly as possible.
4. Invest in the supplies necessary to prevent accidents. Incontinence products, including disposable undergarments that absorb liquids, can help prevent noticeable accidents and make dealing with incontinence on a daily basis much less stressful.
5. Make dietary changes. Incontinence may be exacerbated by certain foods and drinks, such as carbonated or caffeinated beverages, alcohol, acidic ingredients, and more.

Managing incontinence may be overwhelming  at first, but by following these five tips you can help your elderly loved one overcome the challenge.