What to Know About Managing Incontinence and Toileting
If your loved one begins to have accidents or loss of bladder control due to urinary incontinence, or when managing trips to the bathroom becomes difficult and you worry they might not make it to the toilet in time, there may be a level of frustration, for both of you. Remember, you are not alone. There are ways to manage these issues, regain control of life, and start enjoying favorite activities again.
When taking care of someone with incontinence issues, here are a few solutions to consider:
Adult Diapers and Underwear: Adult diapers (available with or without tabs) and briefs (also known as pull-ups) are worn around the waist and thighs and have a built-in absorbent pad. They come in a variety of sizes, absorbency levels, and day or overnight protection.
Caregiver Protection & Odor Control: This includes protection items such as gloves and gowns, air fresheners and neutralizing deodorizer supplies, Disposable Genie and disposal bags, and other waste containers.
Catheters: Catheters, both internal and external, are commonly used to drain urine from the bladder for people who cannot urinate on their own, or for those who are experiencing incontinence and would prefer an alternative to wearable incontinence products like briefs.
Cleansers, Rash Care & Urinary Health: Skin health can be a challenge for those managing incontinence; barrier creams, cleansers, and UTI prevention keep your loved one feeling healthy, clean, and comfortable.
Incontinence Pads: These are products worn inside underwear or a mesh pant to absorb urine leakage. They come in a variety of sizes, absorbency levels, and offer day or overnight protection.
Ostomy: For those that need to toilet via a stoma, we offer ostomy bags and stoma pouches, adhesive removers, ostomy barriers, support belts, and reusable and disposable underpads.
Toileting Supplies: For managing trips to the toilet, choose from items such as bedpans, commode chairs, liners and accessories, as well as raised toilet seats and urinals. For assisting your loved one to the bathroom and onto the toilet, there are transfer belts, gait belts, and transfer boards.
Underpads and Bedding Protection: These supplies provide superior protection for chairs, beds, wheelchairs, and other surfaces.
Wipes, Washcloths, & Moist Towelettes: For all-in-one convenience to address your loved one’s cleansing needs.
FAQ's
What causes urinary incontinence?
When you urinate, the muscles in your bladder contract and move your urine into the urethra, while the muscles around the urethra relax in order to allow urine to exit the body. Urinary incontinence typically occurs when these muscles relax without warning.
What can I do to help with urge incontinence?
Avoiding foods and beverages like the ones listed here can lessen the severity of urge incontinence.
What are the types of urinary incontinence?
The four basic types of incontinence are stress incontinence, urge incontinence, mixed incontinence, and overflow incontinence.
How can I manage incontinence at work?
During peak work hours, try to start timing your voids, limit water intake, and avoid coffee, which is a diuretic and can irritate the bladder.
What is a commode chair used for?
A commode chair is typically used for people who are unable to walk to the bathroom.
Are there special cleansers for people with incontinence?
If you have a bladder accident, not only is it imperative that you change your pad and underwear as soon as possible, but you should also wash and dry the area to remove bacteria and prevent the skin from becoming further irritated. Special cleansers that have been designed for incontinence usually contain moisturizer and have been pH-balanced to reduce skin irritation.
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