Caring for a senior within the home means being able to handle a wide variety of potential ailments. One of the most common, as we age, is the issue of incontinence. This ailment in a senior usually means that they have trouble going to the bathroom properly. Some are unaware that multiple types of incontinence exist. Understanding which type of incontinence a senior in your life has allows you to better manage their particular condition. Disposable bed pads are great for reducing the damage to a bed that incontinence can cause. In this post, you will learn about four types of incontinence in senior citizens.
- Stress Induced Incontinence: It might seem that this condition has to do with being stressed out but that isn’t the case. The stress for this type of incontinence is caused by physical reactions within the body. Younger people are able to cough, sneeze, and complete many activities without any incontinence. However, older citizens often have weaker stomach muscles that may not be able to stop urine from being expelled. If you are finding that incontinence is happening during the night, disposable mattress pads are a must.
- Urgency Induced Incontinence: Seniors with this type of incontinence are usually not able to reach the bathroom before the urine is expelled. Disposable bed protectors are often used to make clean up a breeze from incontinence. This type of incontinence is usually the result of conditions including Alzheimer’s. Disposable bed pads for incontinence will help keep a bed from being damaged. Research shows that incontinence increases 45 percent in people who are 85 years or older.
- Functional Incontinence: Seniors that forget they need to go to the bathroom are usually suffering from functional incontinence. This type of incontinence usually means a senior simply doesn’t have the proper mental thoughts to properly use the bathroom. Functional incontinence can often strike without any warning, making disposable bed pads a necessity.
- Overflow from Bladder: In many cases, this type of incontinence is from an enlarged prostate. However, patients recovering from surgery to the prostate area may experience bladder emptying issues. If a senior is suffering from bladder related issues, it is wise to get them treated by a medical professional.
In closing, there are several types of incontinence that a senior could live with. Disposable mattress covers help to reduce the damage of incontinence on a bed. Stress induced incontinence usually means that someone’s stomach muscles aren’t strong enough to hold back urine released after laughing, coughing, or sneezing. Urgency induced incontinence happens when patients know they need to use the bathroom but don’t have enough time before expelling waste. Functional incontinence, on the other hand, is usually the result of a senior forgetting to go the bathroom. Overflow from the bladder is another cause of incontinence, typically resulting from pressure on the prostate.