odor of incontinence

Odor of Incontinence and How To Cope

Odor of Incontinence and how to cope with it.

The odor of incontinence is something that you will experience when caring for an elderly parent who has problems with urine and bowel control?

You are not alone.

The smell or offensive urine odor of incontinence alone is tough to deal with.

It can be embarrassing for you and your loved one.

Are you seeing wet beds, wet spots on clothes, hidden underwear, sores on your loved one’s bottom?

When you have lived with this issue for a long period of time you may not even be aware there is an odor.

AND asking someone you trust to tell you honestly if there is an odor in your home is hard to do.

There are several ways to help eliminate or at least keep the odor of incontinence down to a minimum the best way you can.Odor of Incontinence

THESE are the best steps I have found to help with incontinence…

  • Get your loved one to drink as much water as you possible can and this can be a tough call.  Did you know that many older people with incontinence drinks less water?
  • Avoid drinking lots of caffeine.
  • Drinking cranberry juice has been known to help keep the urine odor down and also will help with UTIs.
  • If the urine is excessively strong odor you may want to check for a possible urinary tract infection.
  • If you have a routine nurse visits for your parent ask them about bladder training.
  • Put a schedule up to remind your loved one to go to the bathroom.  They tend to forget.
  • Wash bed sheets and clothing in white vinegar.
  • You can use baking soda but do not mix it with vinegar.  One or the other but not together.
  • Your local janitorial supply has cleaner specifically for urine smells that are for controlling urine smells.
  • Always cover your bed and furniture with reusable waterproof pads.  I always have a pad on the floor in front of the potty chair for leakage.

You more than likely will have to put a bedside commode over the regular toilet to raise the seat, purchase a toilet seat that is raised or put in a higher toilet.  This makes it much easier for older people.

Elder people more than not have to resort to wearing adult diapers or protective underwear.  They may be embarrassed when you approach this but in time they will come to have more dignity and not worry about having an accident while out and about.

incontinence underwear

Did you know that more women than men are likely to show signs of incontinence?

If you have an aging parent with dementia no doubt they will begin to forget the need to go to the bathroom and you will begin to notice the odor of incontinence.

Remember…

  • Depression
  • Difficulty walking
  • Weight gain
  • Medication
  • Heart problems
  • Diabetes (some nerve damage)

Can cause incontinence.

Always, always communicate with the family physician.

Incontinence is NOT a disease but a symptom.

Make a note to let the family doctor know when you smell an odor of incontinence.

Discuss what other options you may have.

More than not, your parent will leave a lot of information out because they are either embarrassed, forget or don’t want to take any more medication.

It’s up to you as their caregiver to inform the dr.

DonnaTheCrazyCaregiver

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Donna The Crazy Caregiver

Hi, I'm Donna!

I help people like you, an adult child, in reversing the role as a parent to your parent and learn how to live your own life even if you carry guilt around. I’ll show you how to stop that overwhelming feeling and start enjoying life with your elderly parent in their twilight years, as they say.

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