One of the more common problems for people with Alzheimer’s disease is incontinence and general problems with going to the toilet. It is one of the most difficult problems of dealing with a person with dementia, but it is something that the caregiver can handle, especially with the availability of many Alzheimer’s aids and products.
In fact, many caregivers find that dealing with toilet issues with a loved one with dementia is not as bad as they thought it would be. If you know how to use the proper Alzheimer’s products, it will help you to deal with much of the issue.
One of the most important things to keeping the patient going to the toilet properly is to maintain a regular schedule. Actually, in some ways, it shares some similarities with training a dog to go outside. If you keep to a similar schedule, such as before and after meals, it helps the loved one to stay trained to use the toilet. This is especially the case as the disease progresses.
Some helpful tips when dealing with incontinence and going to the restroom for the patient include:
- Always try to stay calm and understanding if accidents happen outside of the toilet.
- You should always wear gloves when dealing with the dementia patient’s bathroom needs. This will prevent you from getting feces or urine on your hands.
- If your loved one cannot use the toilet on her own, you may need to use some incontinence supplies. If your loved one is still able to move about on her own, it is not a good idea to try bed toileting, or many messy accidents will occur.
- Be very aware of any signs of a urinary tract infection, such as blood in the urine.
- Your loved one may not know when she needs to use the toilet. So, you might want to make the suggestion after a meal, or before bed time.
- If your loved one is in the early stages of dementia, you may want to leave a bathroom light on so that she can easily find her way at night. If the bathroom is further away, you will want to mark the path to the toilet, perhaps with reflective tape.
For dealing with the toilet needs of your loved one, be sure to keep these Alzheimer’s supplies in mind:
- Uribag Female Urinal: This is much more convenient than adapted toilets and can be used wherever and whenever it is needed.
- Sunzyme Natural Odor Elminator: This product contains 12 bottles of odor eliminator spray. The product is sprayed into the air and the mist helps to get rid of odors in the toilet or wherever the patient had an accident.
- Cleanis Carebag Commode Liners: Absorbent liners for a commode pail so that the pail does not get soiled with urine or feces.