Home › Living well with incontinence
Living well with incontinence
Few things are harder to talk about, and few things cause more quiet distress. But incontinence is common in older age, it is not an inevitable part of getting old, and a good deal of it can be improved or even cured. The first step is taking it seriously rather than just buying pads.
Get it checked — it’s often treatable
A sudden change can be a sign of a urine infection, which is easily treated. Other causes — constipation pressing on the bladder, certain medicines, weak pelvic floor, prostate trouble — all have answers. So before you accept it as something to simply manage, see the GP. They can also refer to the NHS continence service, specialist nurses who assess the problem and arrange the right products and support, often delivered free to the home.
Practical, dignified management
- Keep the route to the toilet clear and well lit, and make sure clothing is easy to manage in a hurry — elastic waists beat fiddly buttons.
- A commode or urine bottle by the bed helps at night, when accidents are most likely.
- Get the right products rather than guessing — pads come in many absorbencies, and the continence service will advise. The wrong product leaks and knocks confidence.
- Protect the mattress and chair with washable covers, and keep a calm, matter-of-fact manner when accidents happen. Embarrassment makes everything worse.
Don’t cut back on drinks
It’s tempting to drink less to avoid accidents, but that backfires — concentrated urine irritates the bladder and makes urgency worse, and it risks dehydration and infection. Keep fluids up through the day and ease off only in the couple of hours before bed. Cutting down on tea, coffee and fizzy drinks, which irritate the bladder, helps more than cutting water.
Protect the skin
Skin that’s often damp gets sore quickly. Wash gently with plain water, dry thoroughly, and use a barrier cream if the skin is reddening. Watch for any broken skin and mention it to the district nurse — this is exactly the sort of thing they help with.
Looking after the carer too
Managing someone else’s continence is tiring and can feel relentless, with extra laundry and broken nights. This is a fair reason to ask for more help at a carer’s assessment, whether that’s a carer calling in, laundry support or a night-sitting service.