With incontinence comes many distressing problems. Aside from the extreme embarrassment, it’s a sensitive subject for family caregivers and health care professionals to address. Even so, there are ways to safely manage incontinence. Keep in mind, appropriate treatment often requires a thorough medical evaluation and understanding of multiple factors at play.
The National Institute of Medicine offers a free paper that can give you and your loved one a better understanding of the various types of incontinence and its causes. Below are some tips on how to best manage your aging loved one’s incontinence.
Start an honest conversation
A positive step to take is to let your loved know that they don’t have to deal with the problem alone. Acknowledge the problem and let them know there are ways to treat incontinence. However, this may be difficult with a senior suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia or other cognitive difficulties.
Find the cause
Whether it’s urinary incontinence, bowel incontinence or both, your loved one should visit the doctor to identify the cause. This will ensure proper treatment is implemented. In some cases there are even incontinence remedies.
Allow easy access to the bathroom
Even if someone is suffering from incontinence, they’ll likely still choose to use the bathroom even if they’re wearing adult incontinence aids. Make sure the the path to the bathroom is free of obstacles such as furniture and clutter. Your loved one should also consider installing handrails in the bathroom and wearing clothing that is easy to remove so that using the bathroom is an easy experience.
Change in diet and routine
Be aware that certain foods and drinks — e.g., caffeinated beverages, alcohol and spicy foods — can trigger incontinence. Also, establishing a regular bathroom schedule for your loved one can often alleviate many of the symptoms of incontinence.
Physicians Choice Private Duty “ currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa ” provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Encompass services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.
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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit us today..”
Although it’s uncommon, Alzheimer’s can strike people younger than 65. According to Glenn Smith, a neuropsychologist at the Mayo Clinic, only five percent of people who have Alzheimer’s disease develop early onset symptoms. This can be a scary thought for people in their 40s or 50s, supposedly in the prime of their lives.
For a real-life example of this, the Omaha World-Herald just published a profile about a husband and wife who faced Alzheimer’s together. The story really tugs at the heart strings as well as sheds light on how early-onset Alzheimer’s is especially taxing for those suffering from it and for their families. One of the biggest concerns, the article points out, is the difficulty in finding caregivers and appropriate help, as many services are typically catered to elderly people. Not to mention that the spouse is likely to still be in the middle of a career.
The article tells the story of Liz (the wife), who was diagnosed with early onset at the age of 57. She and her husband, Terry, decided to do whatever it might take to keep her dignity and to enjoy being husband and wife for as long as possible. Over the years, Liz’s symptoms gradually worsened as Terry took on more and more caregiving responsibilities. As sad as it may be, Alzheimer’s is a disease with no cure, and thus it eventually claimed Liz’s life. However, while Liz was still able, the couple remained active — joining Alzheimer’s support groups, traveling to Washington D.C. to share Liz’s story with Nebraska lawmakers, even embarking on a dream vacation to Egypt and Israel.
Related: Alzheimer’s patients giving thanks
Although rare, Liz and Terry’s story is similar to many others who must take on the burden of early-onset Alzheimer’s. But with the help and support of the ones you love, there couldn’t be any better way to share the load.
Do you have a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia? Share some of your stories about the journey with us in the comments or on Twitter.
Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Encompass services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.
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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit http://www.encompass-home-health-care.com.”
Watching a loved one’s diminishing health slowly work towards eventual death can be an emotionally draining experience for many family caregivers. And once the loved one has passed, is it possible for a caregiver to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? According to a recent article in The New York Times, research on this topic is minimal, only suggesting it’s usually overlooked or discounted (however, several experts do agree that psychological trauma can be caused by the caregiving experience).
Clinical psychologist Barry Jacobs, author of The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers, told the newspaper that he often sees caregivers struggling with bothersome thoughts and memories months to years after their loved one has died. Some of these thoughts — flashbacks, anxiety, guilt, depression, apathy, tension and more — are all symptoms associated with PTSD, although one or more symptoms does not prove someone has the condition. Rather, that’s up to experts to decide. Even so, Jacobs said these issues are a very common problem for caregivers.
Dolores Gallagher-Thompas, professor of psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine, told the Times that there is little evidence that caregiving, at least on its own, causes post-traumatic stress. Even so, if a caregiver is vulnerable for another reason, like living through a previous life-changing tragedy, it could activate a response similar to PTSD.
When something happens that the individual perceives and reacts to as a tremendous stressor,”Gallagher-Thompson told the Times,” that can intensify and bring back to the forefront of consciousness memories that were traumatic.
Regardless of whether or not a person is actually suffering from PTSD, the fact remains that many caregivers experience overwhelming stress that feels like the disorder. That’s why it’s important for caregivers who are suffering to seek treatment. It may be a hard road ahead, but with the right professional help and support network, recovery is possible. And hopefully their doctors will document these cases, shedding some more light on this often-overlooked subject.
Related:
How to stay healthy as a caregiver
Exploring AARP’s Caregiving Resource Center
Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Encompass services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.
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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit http://www.encompass-home-health-care.com.”
In a recent article she wrote for the Huffington Post, NYU Medical Center assistant clinical professor of psychiatry Carol W. Berman warns of the dangers of living in denial of our loved one’s diagnosed dementia. Berman can speak from experience, as her husband died in 2012 from Lewy body dementia, according to the article. While denial may block the more painful aspects of your reality, if it goes on too long it can put you and your loved one in life-threatening situations.
That’s why it’s important to break through denial. To help, Berman put together a list of signs of denial, adapted below.
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- Ignoring tell-tale signs. When your elderly mother often trips and drops things, it’s a more than just clumsiness. Rather it indicates her nervous system is impaired.
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- Idealizing your loved one. Your husband with dementia may have been your knight in shining armor for decades now, but thinking he’s perfect and can do no wrong will only lead to dangerous situation after dangerous situation.
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- Rationalizing behavior. When your loved one turns on a stove burner and walks away, don’t convince yourself that she will come back in a minute to boil a pot of water because she won’t — and if you don’t take action you could have a fire on your hands.
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- Allowing your loved one to venture out alone. Getting lost and losing a sense of direction are symptoms of dementia. That’s why it’s important not to let your loved one go on walks our run errands alone.
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- Trying to keep up with old routines and schedules. A person with dementia can’t go to work as usual, even if he or she might want to. Likewise with other aspects of a person’s schedule that are effected by changes caused by dementia.
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- Letting your love continue to drive. As a caregiver, it’s your responsibility to take over driving duties because it’s simply unsafe for your loved one to take wheel. If you can’t always be there, consider hiring a driver.
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- Anger caused by little things. When you’re in denial, you’re suppressing your feelings, thus anger and other feelings will be much more intense than normal. You’ll be able to regain emotional control once you’re out of denial.
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- Projecting your own feelings on your loved one. It’s impossible to always know what you’re loved one is feeling. So take time to sit down and talk at length, trying to figure out what’s the matter.
To help with denial, Berman recommends engaging in psychotherapy with a trusted professional and/or joining a support group, as friends and family are prone to being just as confused and frustrated as you are about your loved one’s dementia.
Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa ” provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Encompass services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.
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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit us today..”
Today’s post is part of our new series, The Encompass Way. Here, we’ll go over many of the steps involved in setting up a comprehensive care plan, which helps us to provide seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps them maneuver through the challenges of the system.
A Patient’s Bill of Rights
Effective health care requires collaboration between patients and physicians and other health care professionals. Open and honest communication, respect for personal and professional values, and sensitivity to differences are integral to optimal patient care. As the setting for the provision of health services, Physicians Choice Private Duty in-home services must provide a foundation for understanding and respecting the rights and responsibilities of patients, their families, physicians, and other caregivers. Physicians Choice Private Duty must ensure a health care ethic that respects the role of patients in decision making about treatment choices and other aspects of their care. Physicians Choice Private Duty must be sensitive to cultural, racial, linguistic, religious, age, gender and other differences as well as the needs of persons with disabilities.
Bill of Rights
These rights can be exercised on the patient’s behalf by a designated surrogate or prox decision maker if the patient lacks decision-making capacity, is legally incompetent or is a minor.
1. The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care.
2. The patient has the right to and is encouraged to obtain from physicians and other direct caregivers relevant, current and understandable information concerning diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
3. The patient has the right to make decisions about the plan of care prior to and during the course of treatment and to refuse a recommended treatment or plan of care to the extent permitted by law and Physicians Choice Private Duty policy and to be informed of the medical consequences of this action.
4. The patient has the right to have an advance directive (such as a living will, health care proxy or durable power of attorney for health care) concerning treatment of designating a surrogate decision maker with the expectation that the hospital will honor the intent of the directive to the extent permitted by law and Physicians Choice Private Duty policy.
5. The patient has the right to every consideration of privacy. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment should be conducted so as to protect each patient’s privacy.
6. The patient has the right to expect that all communications and records pertaining to his/her care will be treated as confidential by Physicians Choice Private Duty, except in cases such as suspected abuse and public health hazards when reporting is permitted or required by law. The patient has the right to expect that Physicians Choice Private Duty will emphasize the confidentiality of this information when it releases it to any other parties entitled to review information in these records.
7. The patient has the right to review the records pertaining to his/her medical care and to have the information explained or interpreted as necessary, except when restricted by law.
8. The patient has the right to ask and be informed of the existence of business relationships among Physicians Choice Private Duty, educational institutions, other health care providers, other payers that may influence the patient’s treatment and care.
9. The patient has the right to consent or decline to participate in proposed research studies or human experimentation affecting care and treatment or requiring direct patient involvement, and to have those studies fully explained prior to consent. A patient who declines to participate in research or experimentation is entitled to the most effective care that the hospital can otherwise provide.
10. The patient has the right to expect reasonable continuity of care when appropriate and to be informed by physicians and other caregivers of available and realistic patient care options when hospital care is longer appropriate.
11. The patient has the right to be informed of Physicians Choice Private Duty policies and practices that relate to patient care, treatment, and responsibilities. The patient has the right to be informed of available resources for resolving disputes, grievances, and conflicts, such as ethics committees, patient representatives, or other mechanisms available in the institution. The patient has the right to be informed of the Physicians Choice Private Duty’ charges for services and available payment methods.
The collaborative nature of health care requires that patients, or their families/surrogates, participate in their care. The effectiveness of care and patient satisfaction with the course of treatment depends, in part, on the patient fulfilling certain responsibilities. Patients are responsible for providing information about past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters related to health status. To participate effectively in decision making, patients must be encouraged to take responsibility for requesting additional information or clarification about their health status or treatment when they do not fully understand information and instructions. Patients are also responsible for ensuring that the health care institution has a copy of their written advance directive if they have one. Patients are responsible for informing their physicians and other caregivers if they anticipate problems in following prescribed treatment.
Currently serving Omaha and surrounding areas, all Encompass services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts.Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.
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“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit http://www.encompass-home-health-care.com.”