Continence Care: 10 Top Tips On Caring For Someone With Incontinence

June 05, 2023

Caring for someone with incontinence can be a challenging task for any caregiver. Continence care requires patience, empathy, and a willingness to adapt to the unique needs of the person you care for. However, whether you are a professional caregiver or a family member, providing continence care can be a rewarding experience if approached in the right way. Below are some top tips on caring for someone who is experiencing incontinence and practical advice for creating a comfortable and supportive environment.

1. Discuss The Condition With A Doctor

It has been estimated that around 3 - 6 million people within the UK have some degree of incontinence¹. Whilst one of the most common beliefs is that it is connected to age, there may be several different causes of incontinence that can be addressed by consulting a healthcare professional. For example, Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’S) are a common cause, and an enlarged prostate can lead to incontinence in men if left untreated. However, there are other treatable causes that can lead to symptoms of incontinence. So, if the person you care for is experiencing ongoing signs of incontinence, take them to the doctor for a thorough examination. This will ensure that any infections or treatable conditions are handled.

2. Avoid Food and Drink Triggers

Certain foods and drinks can often irritate the bladder and trigger incontinence symptoms. This can lead to increased leakages and potentially embarrassing situations for the person you provide continence care for. So, identifying any triggers for the person you care for and ensuring they avoid them will help lessen incontinence symptoms and reduce leakages.

The best way to identify food and drink triggers is to keep a food diary for the person you care for. Note down what they eat and drink and how this affects their incontinence. If you notice worsened symptoms, you should be able to narrow it down and identify the foods that irritate their bladder.

Some common bladder irritants that can worsen symptoms include:

Coffee
Tea
Alcohol
Acidic fruits and juices, such as orange, lemon and grapefruit
Spicy foods
Tomatoes
Fizzy drinks
Chocolate²

3. Waterproof Furniture

Cleaning up is a big job with continence care, especially if leakages go through clothes to furniture. However, you can minimise the effect of urinary accidents by waterproofing furniture for the person you care for. There are plenty of incontinence products that you can use to waterproof furniture against incontinence accidents, such as MoliCare incontinence bed mats, but there are other options too. For example, you can use waterproof covers on cushions, pillows and mattresses, or layers of blankets rather than a thick duvet for an easier clean up.

If the person you care for experiences urinary leakages both day and night, you should prioritise skin care as well. Accidents can lead to the skin getting irritated and chapped, so it’s important to maintain good skin care and hygiene to reduce the effects.

4. Create A Bathroom Schedule

Creating a bathroom schedule is an ideal way of reducing the risk of incontinence accidents. A routine is a great way to get the body and its functions accustomed to doing something at certain times, including using the bathroom. To create a bathroom schedule, ask the person you care for to start using the toilet regularly, even if they only try to do so rather than actually use it. A good interval to start with is 1 -2 hours, as you can experiment from there to identify the best timing for their body and stick to this routine. Once the person you provide continence care to is used to the schedule, their body will expect to go to the toilet at those times and reduce the risk of leakages.

5. Use Comfortable Incontinence Products

Ensuring the person you care for is using the right continence products is vital to prioritise their dignity and comfort at all times, and reduce any embarrassment or anxiety. A good guide to use when choosing the right incontinence products is the S.A.S acronym:

S = Style - this is important when maintaining dignity and privacy and should be selected based upon individual symptoms specifically to meet those needs.

A = Absorbency - you need to consider how often leakage occurs, volume of urine lost, toilet access, level of independence or dependance of care

S = Size - If the product is too large it may feel bulky, impacting comfort and potentially causing leakage. However, if it’s too tight, the product maybe uncomfortable, and chafe the skin.

6. Always Have Incontinence Essentials To Hand

Often, those with incontinence avoid leaving the house for fear of an accident. However, this doesn’t have to be the case if you are well prepared.

Putting together a kit of incontinence essentials that you can bring along when you take the person you care for out, will help relieve their anxiety and ensure that all they need is to hand.

The things in this kit will vary depending on the individual’s needs, but some helpful items to include are extra pads or briefs, cleansing wipes, barrier cream and a change of clothes.

7. Choose Breathable Clothing

Clothing can play a big part in continence care, as you’ll need items that can be easily removed and replaced after an accident. In some cases, clothing that is hard to get off and on or too tight can cause accidents in the first place. As such, it will be worth purchasing clothes that will cater to these needs. For example, you can get trousers with elastic waistbands rather than buttons or zips or adaptive clothing designed for easy access.

8. Eliminate Lingering Odours

Incontinence incidents often leave behind unfortunate lingering odours that can be tricky to get rid of. However, there are several disinfecting products that you can use to clean any affected furniture and remove odours, or you can use air sanitisers to eliminate any lingering smells from the air.

On the other hand, you may be able to eliminate odours before they happen by reducing the smell of urine through lifestyle changes. For example, certain foods, medicines, and fluid intake can all affect urine smell. By ensuring that the person you provide continence care for is drinking plenty of fluids, ideally water, and avoiding foods that contain strong-smelling chemicals, such as asparagus or garlic³, you can help naturally reduce the urine smell.

9. Diffuse Anxiety and Embarrassment

Incontinence and its symptoms can often cause anxiety and embarrassment for the person you care for. Unfortunately, these feelings can lead to stress and other negative mental effects. Although the situation may also be stressful and upsetting for you, you should try to ease the tension by reminding yourself and them that it is a normal part of life.

Reassure the person you care for that it is okay and approach the clean-up matter-of-factly. Try to remain calm and patient to help relieve their feelings, and don’t be afraid to approach the topic openly with them if it will help to diffuse the tension.

Another approach to reducing anxiety and embarrassment is humour. For example, gentle humour will help diffuse the situation after an incontinence accident and help the person you are caring for feel better about this and future accidents.

10. Seek Professional Help

For various reasons, you, as a caregiver, may not be able to provide the right continence care despite doing all you are capable of. If this is the case, it is best for you and the person you care for to seek professional help. You could consider bringing in a professional home continence caregiver to assist you with certain tasks and errands. On the other hand, you could encourage the person you care for to go and see a health professional, such as a urologist or gynaecologist, to help relieve their symptoms.

Creating A Safe, Comfortable Atmosphere With Continence Care

Incontinence can be challenging to manage both for those who experience it and those who care for them. However, with the proper knowledge and support, you can create a comfortable and supportive environment for someone with incontinence. We hope these expert tips have provided a starting point to improve the quality of life for the person you are caring for. Remember, each person’s experience with incontinence is unique, so be sure to approach each situation with empathy, patience, and flexibility. With your continued dedication and support, you can help the person you are caring for live their best life with dignity and respect.