Incontinence
What is a urinalysis?
If an aged care worker suspects a resident may have a urinary infection they commonly take a urinalysis. A urinalysis is a simple test used to detect abnormalities in the urine. A urinalysis can be done quickly and easily by dipping a chemical urinalysis strip into a urine sample.
The presence of different substances in the urine can indicate infection and other health conditions. The results of a urinalysis may mean further investigation is needed.
Bowel problems: What causes constipation?
Constipation refers to problems opening the bowels, straining on the toilet and infrequent bowel motions. Constipation can be stressful and difficult to manage.
How can I help mum manage her constipation?
Questions: Mum takes lots of different types of laxatives. I'm not sure if the doctor prescribes these as they are over the counter and she's been taking them for years. She says she needs them in order to open her bowels everyday. She also takes lots of pain-killers. How can I help her manage her constipation?
Should I use wipes after an incontinence episode?
Mum is in a nursing home. She wears incontinence pads all the time and she is mostly in a chair or cared for in bed. I'm worried they are not cleaning her properly when they change her continence pad as she has a nasty red rash which is taking a long time to heal. Should they keep the incontinence pads off or clean her with a special wipe?
Where can I get a kylie for incontinence to keep the bed dry?
I'm looking for a Kylie (blue padded protector) to put on the bed at night to stop the bed getting wet from mum's incontinence episodes. Is that enough should she wear continence aids as well? What incontinence pads can she wear?
Where can I get incontinence pants to keep up pads?
Where can I get the soft pants that help keep incontinence pads in place? Mum wears a small pad for incontinence but tries to pull it off and it often falls out of her pants. She has dementia and continence problems. Sometimes she manages to go to the toilet but at night I find the incontinence pad in her bed and she is lying in a wet bed. Should I get plastic pants? Or not bother with pads?
Dad has dementia: How can I help him use the toilet effectively?
My Dad lives at home on his own. Despite his dementia he copes quite well. However, he recently had a fall in the bathroom when he was trying to get to the toilet. He tries to use the toilet but is not always successful. What can I do?
People living with dementia commonly have problems using the toilet. Unfortunately this can greatly increase their chances of falling.
Changes in vision, poor mobility and confusion can all contribute to falls. So too can the environment.
Managing dementia and incontinence
Question: My mum has dementia and is frequently incontinent. We tried pads but she constantly takes them off. What is a toileting schedule and how can I start one? What other measures can I take to avoid incontinence episodes?
13 tips to help manage incontinence
There are many things you can do to help a person manage incontinence. In some cases you can help decrease the number of incontinence episodes by making a few simple changes about the home.
Incontinence: Help with urinary incontinence
Incontinence is a very common problem and can affect people of all ages. Unfortunately, many older people do not seek help for bladder problems. Incontinence can cause great distress and embarrassment for older people and their carers.
Disclaimer: This site is for information purposes only and should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem, nor as a substitute for professional advice with a qualified health professional or doctor.
