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Implement These Solutions For Your Elderly Parent Struggling With Incontinence

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When you have an elderly parent who lives independently but requires some help with day-to-day activities, hiring a home health aide is the best strategy. The presence of this elderly care professional means that your parent will always be receiving professional, top-level care, while you won't wear yourself out trying to look after him or her. Over time, your elderly parent may develop some health issues that you and the health aide will need to address. One such issue is incontinence, which affects many people as they age. Here are some solutions to deal with this issue.

Rental Of A Commode

Those who are dealing with incontinence may struggle with making it to the bathroom in time, given that the urge to urinate or move their bowels can come on very quickly. A simple solution to avoid an accident is to rent a commode. This portable toilet sits on a lightweight frame and can be easily moved around. The home health aide can position the commode near wherever your parent is spending time, whether it's in the living room, bedroom, or even in the dining room. This way, if your parent suddenly has to go to the bathroom but can't make it to the actual bathroom, the commode will prevent an accident.

Use Of Furniture Pads

For the times that an accident occurs, clothing is easy to wash out but furniture is not. Instead of have the home health aide go through the time-consuming process of scrubbing and disinfecting a couch pad, for example, buy some furniture pads that can be placed wherever your parent will be sitting. These absorbent pads are similar to large diapers in that they'll catch the mess and absorb it, rather than let it soak through. When your parent has an accident, he or she can alert the health aide, who can then help your parent clean up, while also replacing the furniture pad.

Monitoring Fluid Intake

The health aide should also take a proactive approach to your parent's incontinence by monitoring his or her consumption of fluids. Drinking too much can lead to an accident, and while you don't want your parent to get dehydrated, the home care worker will know the right amount of fluids for your parent to take in and manage. If your parent has a habit of reaching for a cup of tea repeatedly throughout the day, for example, the aide may recommend curbing this habit a little to reduce the risk of accidents.


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