Issue Codes Tena Incontinence Products

A Canadian website has provided some useful guidance for people who believe their ageing parents may be experiencing adult incontinence.

According to an article on Canoe.ca, urinary incontinence should not be a barrier to an active life, as it can be “easily and effectively managed” with the aid of absorbent products, such as Tena Comfort Plus, and lifestyle changes.

It can be caused by a number of conditions, such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, arthritis or urinary tract infections, or by certain medications.

The website advises people to discuss any concerns about their parents with their healthcare professional, who can advise them on treatment options for adult incontinence.

It points out: “There is a wide range of treatments available to manage incontinence, including absorbent products (which absorb urine and odour), exercises, lifestyle changes, medical devices, medications and surgery.

“Finding the right treatment can help your parents stay active and enjoy life.”

Issue Codes Incontinence Accessories and Hygiene

Wales’ older people’s commissioner has expressed concerns about the treatment received by elderly people, including those with adult incontinence, when staying in NHS hospitals.

Ruth Marks published a damning report earlier this year, entitled ‘Dignified Care?, which found many older patients were receiving “shamefully inadequate” care in Welsh hospitals.

Ms Marks has now told the Western Mail that she remains unconvinced that patients are being treated with dignity.

She said that health boards and the Welsh government had responded to the report, but that “more does need to be done”.

“There is good and even excellent work in some areas, but there are inconsistencies and some absolute basics are still not there,” she revealed.

Earlier this year, Welsh ministers announced that the watchdog Healthcare Inspectorate Wales would be asked to carry out spot checks to ensure elderly patients are receiving a good standard of care in hospital.

These checks are likely to look at a number of issues, including dementia and the treatment of people with adult incontinence.

Issue Codes Incontinence Accessories and Hygiene

The charity Age UK has teamed up with the NHS Confederation and Local Government Group (LG Group) to set up a new commission focusing on dignity in care provided to older people in hospitals and care homes, many of whom are reliant on incontinence pads and pants.

The move follows recent reports on patient complaints from the Health Ombudsman and the inquiry into circumstances at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Experts will research what people expect in terms of dignity in care and establish ways to improve the situation across health and social care services.

Age UK chair Dianne Jeffrey explained: “This commission aims to build understanding of why and how older people’s essential care is going wrong and to set out practical solutions for getting it right in the future.”

Cllr David Rogers, chairman of the LG Group’s community wellbeing board, observed that public concern about the experiences of some patients and care home residents was “widespread and legitimate”.

He added: “The LG Group is very keen to play our part in finding practical ways in which we can raise standards and eliminate bad practice.”

Issue Codes Incontinence Accessories and Hygiene

An author who acted as primary carer to his father for ten years has issued some advice on looking after a person with adult incontinence.

Gary Joseph LeBlanc learnt how to look after his father with compassion and respect after the older man’s diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia.

Writing in the Tampa Tribune, he described caring for a person with urinary incontinence as a “learning process”.

He revealed: “One hundred per cent of Alzheimer’s patients will arrive at a point where they lose control of their bladder or bowels, most likely both.

“At this stage of the disease most families are usually advised that the time has come to institutionalise their loved ones. Even so, countless families continue caring for them at home until their final days.”

Mr LeBlanc told the news provider that he used to place his father’s incontinence pants in his underwear drawer, gradually replacing his usual undergarments.

He noted that there are many different types of incontinence pads and pants, and advised: “I would first start them off with pull-ups, the ones designed with side tabs resemble children’s diapers too much and may be very upsetting for your loved one at first.”

Figures from the Alzheimer’s Society suggest that around 465,000 people in the UK are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, while many more have different types of dementia, such as vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies.

A research team at Emory University and the US Department of Veterans Affairs studied a group of Parkinson’s disease patients, all of whom were at least 50 years of age. Participants enrolled in the study between October 2008 and October 2009 and completed behavioural therapy sessions at a rate of five visits over an eight-week period. They were helped to identify, contract and relax their pelvic floor muscles, and given guidance on fluid management.

The researchers found that patients who received therapy benefited from a reduction in the frequency of urinary incontinence and improvements in their quality of life. Lead investigator Dr Camille Vaughan, whose findings are published in Neurology journal, said: “This study demonstrates feasibility and efficacy of pelvic floor muscle exercise-based behavioural therapy to treat urinary incontinence in older adults with Parkinson’s. “These results are promising and should be evaluated in randomised controlled trials.”

Parkinson’s is a long-term neurological condition that affects the coordination of body movements, such as walking, talking and writing.

Protestors turned up during Wirral’s budget council meeting to oppose their plans, but the leaders went ahead with £50 million worth of cuts, which will lead to the closure of five care homes.

Despite the move, which led to angry scenes at Wallasey Town Hall, council leader Jeff Green stated that measures will be put in place to ensure the vulnerable are given the support they require.

“We have made sure that the vulnerable people are absolutely protected. The services will be available. We will have to deliver them in different ways,” he is quoted by BBC News as saying.

As well as catering for elderly people, some of whom may be using men’s incontinence products, care homes provide respite care for people with terminal illnesses and other conditions.

Writing on empowher.com, Patricia Grace, founder and chief executive officer of Aging with Grace, stated that those who want to help someone who is incontinent should strive to be perceived as helpful.

She explained that careful thought needs to go into how exactly the matter will be raised and helpers should be clear about their role and ensure they are the person’s supporter rather than a challenger.

Ms Grace also advised: "With incontinence, the caregiver’s primary goal should be to get an assessment from a physician, so you can help the person deal with expert recommendations.

"Before deciding on your own that diapers are the solution, it’s always wise to get medical clarification of the problem."

According to the NHS, urinary incontinence is thought to affect more than 50 million people in the developed world.

We have all been horrified by the reports from the health sector watchdog. It showed clear evidence that nurses and doctors denied to provide basic medical and caring assistance to elderly people in NHS hospitals. Elderly patients were left hungry, thirsty, unwashed, in soiled clothes, and without adequate pain relief.

It makes me wonder why on Earth anyone could do such things to another human being, especially when you have chosen that career. I always thought that doctors and nurses choose their careers because they care for others and are willing to help people under any circumstance.

What is going on with our doctors and nurses? Are they not being paid enough? Or the system has been saturated with unqualified professionals that have chosen such careers just for the money and benefits?

It can’t be a question of money as the New Labour has pumped billions in extra resources into healthcare. Perhaps it could be a matter of size. With 1.3 million employees working for the National Health System whose impersonal structures mitigate against the development of real bonds between individual staff and patients.

Whatever the problem is it is time for a change and we can’t let our loved ones be treated this way. We must not forget that we all get older and if we don’t call for change now we could be the ones sitting in a lonely hospital bed hungry and soaked in our own urine.

The DLA has nothing to do with the Carer’s Allowance but it is a vital benefit for disabled people, as it provides tax-free financial support for disabled people if they have care or mobility needs – it is not related to their ability to work.

If the government replaces the DLA carers will be affected directly as they can only claim Carer’s Allowance if they are caring for someone who gets the Disability Living Allowance or the Attendance Allowance, which will not be affected by the proposed new changes.

The major carers associations in Britain accepts that the DLA should ne revised and some elements reformed but it is not in compliance it should be replaced by the Personal Independence Allowance. A lot needs to be clarified before it is replaced, for instance no assessment has been published on how the introduction of the Personal Independence Payment or the £1 billion reduction in the DLA budget would affect Carer’s Allowance claimants. Imagine families who rely on these benefits losing carers and disability benefits.

Carers UK, Britain’s biggest and most influential Carers association is calling other carers, disabled people and other groups to have their say in this consultation. Here is what they suggest you can do:

All you need to do is write a quick email to the Government at the address below, including some details about your circumstances or, if you are a local group, case study details of a carer you support, and state why you are worried about these proposals. Here’s what to write in your email:

1. Say who you are and who you care for and that you are very concerned about losing Carer’s Allowance because the person you care for might lose their benefits

2. Explain why you are worried (Do you think the person you care for is at risk of losing their DLA? Do they have a condition that changes and a medical professional might assess them on a good day and fail to take account of the worse times? Do you care for someone with a mental health condition or a learning disability which you are worried might not be assessed properly by a medical professional?).

3. Explain what impact losing Carer’s Allowance would have on you (would you be worried about paying your basic bills, or affording to do anything for yourself, or would it mean caring was unaffordable for you and you couldn’t carry on.

4. State that you believe the Government should not be making cuts of £1 billion to disability benefits because of the devastating consequences it could have for disabled people and carers like you.

5. Say that it you believe that Carer’s Allowance must remain outside of the Universal Credit. Carer’s save the UK £87 billion every year with the care they provide and it would be wrong to take away Carer’s Allowance from some carers by means-testing it, as this would leave some carers without any recognition of their contribution.

Email this to the Department of Work and Pensions at consultation.dlareform@dwp.gsi.gov.uk (or David.Doherty@dsdni.gov.uk in Northern Ireland) and send a copy to your MP (you can email them by entering your postcode into www.writetothem.com).

For more information visit: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2010/dla-reform.shtml

Incontinence symptoms vary from occasional minor leakage to the complete accidental loss of control of an evacuation of the bladder. The majority of urinary incontinence issues arise from either weakened or over-active bladder muscles. Stress incontinence results from weak muscles meeting a sudden burst of pressure. A sudden sneeze, a violent cough or even a belly laugh can trigger an unwanted and sudden release of urine.

Another common type of incontinence is “overactive bladder,” or OAB. In OAB the nerves of the bladder send false signals making you feel an urgent need to urinate eve when there is very little liquid present.

Aging and Bladder Problems

Older adults have other reasons for bladder discharge problems. The very elderly are often immobile and not able t heed the call of nature in time. Others suffer from conditions that produce fluid overload.

Congestive heart problems or the use of diuretics can produce too much urine for a weakened bladder to hold. Incontinence can also be caused by cognitive impairment. Senior citizens often suffer from forms of dementia like Alzheimer’s disease which can cause behavioral problems. These situations are less about bladder control and more about more severe medical conditions.

The important thing to realize about bladder problems is that they have many causes and many possible treatments. Too many older adults see bladder control issues as a sign of incompetence and impending death. They try to hide the problem rather than seeking treatment.

Rather than risking a potentially embarrassing discharge in public they withdraw from life. This reclusive life leads to further isolation, feelings of despair and can even develop into depression. Senior safety and well being requires an active social life, so don’t let incontinence stop you from living. Treatments to reduce or even eliminate incontinence are many and varied.

Some treatments may include dietary changes or even altering prescription medications. Most severe cases may require therapy (like bladder control exercises, floor exercises, meal and beverage timing) medications and absorbency products. There are a number of surgical procedures that may be effective but because the risks and costs associated with any surgery, these are usually the last resort.

Prostate problems and nerve damage (from accidents or even the side effects of surgery) can also create incontinence. Realize that millions suffer from incontinence and it is nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t have to self-manage the problem in secrecy. Your doctor may be able to help free you of the problem, but not if you keep it to yourself.

Elder Care Issues

If you are a caregiver to a person who suffers from bladder control problems, talk to your family physician and get your loved one a complete evaluation. Adult diapers are not the only way to manage the problem and they certainly won’t cure it. The solution to your particular problem will take a good deal of investigation and experimentation. Some elder care givers have had great success by changing the physical environment; just adding a commode to the bedroom or giving the patient easy to remove clothing can fix the problem.

Others required a change in medication; still others required a change in home health care worker. Sometimes patients are embarrassed by health care workers of the opposite sex, other times it’s the reverse. Investigate experiment and persevere knowing that a good number of incontinence problems are manageable if not completely preventable.