ARTICLES / Incontinence /
Tips for Managing Incontinence /
By Geri Hall, PhD, ARNP, GCNS-BC, FAAN
In later dementia, the person may have
incontinence that may not respond to prompting. This
is usually managed by continuing to try to prompt,
but using the incontinence products even doubled
when necessary. Pad the bed with lawn and leaf bags
under the sheets and make a draw sheet to minimize
the amount of late night changing.
Provide adequate fiber using two large oatmeal
raisin cookies each afternoon with a glass of
liquid.
Incontinence briefs need to be changed two or
three times per day even if not soiled because of
the risk of urinary infections.
To help the individual adapt to the briefs, take
the underpants out of the dresser drawer and replace
with pull-up briefs. After a while, they will
“get it.”
Finally, if there are “accidents” on a rug, use a
pet disinfectant. Standard cleaners do not kill the
fecal bacteria.
Geri Hall is a Gerontology
Clinical Nurse Specialist who has been working
with families and dementia since 1978. A
retired professor from University of Iowa, Geri has
been a consulting professional to the Washington
University in St. Louis “The Alzheimer List” for 13
years.
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