ARTICLES / General / Playing Detective
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Other ArticlesBy Jennifer Bradley, Staff Writer
This is why it’s important a caregiver understand
the most common senior-specific symptoms of a UTI.
These include:
- Confusion, or a delirious state
- Agitation or restlessness
- Hallucinations
- Other behavioral changes
- Poor motor skills and/or dizziness
- Increase in falls
- Facial grimaces
Sometimes these are the only symptoms that show
up. If one day a loved one can change their clothing
with no assistance and the next morning is requiring
sufficient help, a red flag should be raised in a
caregiver’s mind.
Treatment
The diagnosis part of a UTI situation is simple
once symptoms are identified and a urinalysis is
completed. The treatment most likely will be a
course of antibiotics.
Most UTIs clear up in a few days, but age and
health, as well as infection severity will determine
the treatment course. It can take weeks and involve
hospitalization if the need for intravenous
antibiotics arises. A physician may also take a
culture of the urine to determine exactly what type
of bacteria is growing and the most effective
medication to prescribe a loved one.
Those living in senior communities or nursing
homes often are more resistant to the traditional
antibiotics given to UTI patients, such as
amoxicillin, and may require something stronger,
and/or a longer duration.
A common cause of UTIs is using a catheter. If
this is the case, part of the treatment is
minimizing use of the device, and removing or
replacing it more often. For an in-dwelling
catheter, a caregiver should discuss with the
physician a changing schedule and ensure it is
followed. Some catheters are specially designed to
minimize bacterial transmission from the tubing, and
may be an option to consider if the UTIs persist
over time.
Caregivers may worry if the confusion brought
about by a UTI is permanent. Experts say that is
dependent on whether, and how quickly, the cause of
the confusion is determined. Ruling out a UTI or
other infection is an appropriate first step for
caregivers when noticing sudden changes in a loved
one’s mental status. Early treatment of a UTI can
prevent serious symptoms and complications, and will
most likely result to a return of a loved one’s
normal mental state.
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