Incontinence can be difficult enough for your senior to deal with emotionally, but when you combine bladder troubles with dementia, the situation becomes more complicated. With some careful planning and a little bit of attention to detail, you can help your elderly family member to manage both issues much more readily.
Avoid Triggering Beverages
Some beverages are better than others when your senior is having issues with incontinence. Drinks with caffeine, for instance, can irritate the bladder and cause it to become overactive. The same can happen with sodas and with some juices, particularly if they’re acidic. It can help to track how your elderly family member tends to react to certain beverages. When you notice that they tend to cause problems, make a note to limit those a little more.
Don’t Withhold Water, Though
One beverage that you never want to limit, however, is water. A common misconception is that cutting back on the water can also help a senior to cut back on “accidents.” But it usually doesn’t work that way. What’s far more likely to happen is that your elderly family member ends up dehydrated and that comes with a host of other problems.
Scheduled Bathroom Breaks Can Be Helpful
You might balk at the idea of scheduling bathroom breaks, but it’s actually something to consider. If you can make it a point to remind your senior about visiting the bathroom every couple of hours, she can empty her bladder regularly and therefore experience far fewer accidents. This can be extremely helpful when your elderly family member gets upset after a leak.
Plan Ahead for Outings
Planning ahead, especially when you and your senior go somewhere, can be a lifesaver. You’ll want to make sure you’ve got a change of clothes as well as extra underwear and incontinence products, as well. These things don’t have to take up a lot of space in a bag, either, which can help you’re senior to feel less conspicuous. If an accident should happen while you’re out, you’ll have everything that you need to take care of it and to move on.
This can be a really new situation for both you and your aging family member. Incontinence can become much more of an issue when you add dementia to the equation because of how dementia affects the brain. Senior care providers can help you to manage situations before they even crop up.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring Home Care Services in Amberley, OH, please contact the caring staff at Queen City Elder Care today. Serving Cincinnati and Surrounding Communities. Call Us Today (513) 510-4410.
Michele Vollmer is a visionary leader who is perpetually searching for ways to improve, so to remain at the leading edge of the home care industry.She has served in the healthcare industry since 1989, including pharmaceutical and home health sales, as well as hospice sales and sales management
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