Tips on managing incontinence

Managing incontinence for a loved one can be one of the hardest things that you have to do. One of the reasons that managing incontinence with a loved one can be so hard is because your loved one might feel like it is a personal failure, so they are embarrassed that they can no longer use the toilet on their own.

The first thing that you need to do when managing incontinence with a loved one is to reassure them that this is not their fault. Explain to them that incontinence is a medical problem, it has nothing to do with them failing personally. The second thing that you need to do, is respect their privacy and dignity, this is a very sensitive issue, not to mention a difficult issue for your loved one. You need to take the time to make sure that they understand that you will be helping them with using the toilet and their personal hygiene.

After having that discussion with your loved one, the only thing left that you need to do is make sure that you are prepared no matter where you go. To begin preparing yourself for managing your loved one's incontinence, you can read up on any supplies you need. They can be delivered to your front door on a regularly scheduled basis in many cases. To help you determine what products you will need, or that will work out best for you and your loved one, you can use this Incontinence Product Finder from The CareGiver Partnership.

To help better manage your loved one's incontinence you can start keeping a journal. When keeping a journal, you will want to write down the times of your loved one's bowel movements, and what foods they have eaten throughout the day. This can help you spot patterns in their bowel activity so you can better prepare when to take them to the restroom, and in doing so, you can avoid any accidents. Figuring out the pattern can also help you determine when you need to change their undergarments, if they are bedridden. Usually three days of journaling is enough to help you spot the pattern, but you will also want to make any adjustments as needed to keep it as a reliable guide.

You are keeping a journal so you can develop a routine with your loved one. Developing a routine can help eliminate the possibility of accidents because you know their schedule. The routine can also help you determine when to schedule appointments so that you can decrease your chances of needing to change your loved one while out in public. If you don't like the idea of keeping a journal, you can still develop a routine to help manage your loved ones incontinence by taking a behavioral approach to it, which means taking your loved one to the restroom on a regular basis throughout the day.

No matter how you plan to go about managing your loved one's incontinence, you want to talk to them about what is going on, even if it is a difficult subject to talk about. The reason that you want to talk to them about what you are doing and why you are doing it, is because you are practicing good communication skills. You want to have great communication with your loved one. The better your communication is with your loved one, the easier it will be for you to manage their incontinence and other problems because they will be more willing to talk to you about what is going on. Talking about the incontinence will encourage your loved one to tell you when they have to go, or even when they need to be changed because they soiled their clothes or undergarments.