Caring for a family member with incontinence

Incontinence, the loss of bladder control is a common and embarrassing problem. It can happen at any age, but as research has shown the chances tend to increase with age. According to data, 15 percent of men and 25 percent of women suffer from incontinence at some point in their lives. Although common, it can be a stressful and a challenging condition for both the person themselves and their family. 

What can help a caregiver of a person with incontinence?

Caring for an ageing parent can be very demanding, and incontinence can add a further burden. As a caregiver, you may feel frustrated, anxious, upset while dealing with incontinence. These feelings are normal and can happen to anyone. As a caregiver, you may seek the doctors advice to help learn the best approaches to deal with your family member. Talking to a professional can help understand the various treatment options available, such as pelvic floor training to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. 

Management and treatment for incontinence:

The treatment and management for incontinence will depend on incontinence severity, cause and person. In the meantime, it is important to:

• Keep hydrated and do not limit fluid intake. Try to avoid caffeinated or carbonated drinks
• Exercise and strengthen the pelvic floor
• Bladder training
• Use incontinence pads or pull ups. 

Important Tips for a Caregiver

 Although treatment and management of incontinence can help during day to day life, it can still be difficult. As a caregiver, here are some approaches that could help you during the times whilst caring for your loved one:

• The patient with incontinence can often be ashamed of his condition and make him feel down. As a caregiver, you can help your loved one by having honest, understanding, and calm conversations about how they are feeling.
• Keep positive
• Be patient
• Find some time for yourself to relax and self-care

Practical Suggestions for Incontinence Related Problems

• Encourage loose and comfortable clothing, that can be quickly removed when needed. 
• Garments should be able to be washed at high temperatures, so you can quickly pop in the wash
• Avoid tight fitting clothing, that could increase your workload and provoke uncomfortable rashes
• Use pads to handle emergencies and change them regularly.

As a caretaker, try to help make incontinence as normal as possible (it is surprisingly common!). And if you or your family member is suffering from the condition, discuss it with your physician and make sure to get diagnosed to get the right treatment. In some patients, bladder training and pelvic floor training can be very effective. 

References

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/incontinence-tips-for-carersbetterhealth.vic gov.au

https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/caring-someone-incontinencemyagedcare.gov.au

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2614622/ncbi.nlm.nih.gov