Incontinence can be embarrassing, but worse is the fact that it can damage your senior’s skin.

Following some simple rules about skin care can help to mitigate those concerns, though. Finding the right incontinence products can help immensely right from the outset. Her doctor can help you to find all of the different options that might be helpful for your senior.

Make Sure to Change Incontinence Products Regularly

Incontinence products need to be changed more often than many people realize. Of course, if your senior has an accident, her incontinence pad or brief needs to be changed right away. But urine leakage can happen at any time, and the incontinence products can become uncomfortable and start chafing your senior’s skin. Changing the products a few times per day, whether there’s an accident or not, helps to protect your senior’s skin.

Clean and Dry Her Skin When Changing Products

In between changes, it’s important to clean your senior’s skin and make sure that it’s dry. This is important because urine can be acidic. Use a gentle cleanser, particularly one that doesn’t contain soap, and make sure her skin is dry afterward. Wipes are really handy for this task, especially if you and your senior are out and about away from home.

Use a Moisturizer and a Moisture Barrier

Moisturizing your senior’s skin after cleansing and drying it helps to keep her skin as healthy as possible. While it does offer a layer of protection, it’s also important to use a moisture barrier cream. This helps to prevent urine from damaging delicate skin and can help your senior to feel much more comfortable.

Let Her Doctor Know about Issues Right Away

If you notice anything unusual about your senior’s skin or if she experiences other difficulties related to incontinence, make sure you mention it to her doctor as soon as possible. The sooner that you alert her doctor to possible issues, the less likely those issues are to become major problems for your senior. That’s definitely something that you want to avoid.

Some family caregivers find it difficult to care for a senior with incontinence issues. Whether you can’t be there as much as you want to be or it’s just uncomfortable for both of you, senior care providers might be the answer. They can help your elderly family member to manage incontinence concerns safely and with all of her dignity intact.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Lafayette, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203

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Evan Loevner

CEO at Aviva In-Home Care

As a former hospital administrator, I launched Aviva with the goal of having a more focused, direct impact on the delivery of care than I could ever accomplish within a hospital setting. For me, the joy of running an organization like Aviva In-Home Care is having the ability to positively improve the lives of individuals needing customized care. As a passionate Bay Area resident, I know that many local seniors can benefit from new approaches to in-home care, that will bring them more connection to the community, and provide families with a greater sense of comfort that their loved one is indeed matched with an ideal caregiver.

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