A Home Health Aide Can Help an Elderly Family Member With Incontinence in These Ways
If you have an elderly family member struggling with incontinence, he or she may not necessarily have to move into a care facility. While incontinence can be bothersome in many ways, it can also be managed to allow the person to continue to live at home. If you aren't able to provide this ongoing care, look for help from a home care agency. Hiring a home health aide to spend as much time with your loved one as is necessary can help him or her to manage the incontinence as he or she continues to live independently. Here are some ways that the home health aide can help in this regard.
Limiting Intake of Fluids
People who struggle with incontinence may have trouble, in part, because they consume too many liquids throughout the day. If someone steadily drinks water or other beverages, or even consumes soup, he or she may often have a full bladder. This means that the urge to urinate may come on quickly and result in an accident. When a home health aide is on the scene, he or she will be able to monitor your loved one's intake of fluids. The aide will ensure that your loved one stays adequately hydrated, but doesn't drink too much that an accident is likely.
Using Incontinence Care Products
A home health aide can also use specific products to avoid messes that result from your loved one's incontinence. For example, the health aide can show your family member how to wear adult diapers, and even help him or her get them on and off. The aide can also use furniture pads wherever the incontinent person is sitting. In the case of an accident, the diapers will prevent the urine from seeping into the clothing, while the furniture pads will prevent damage to couches and other upholstery.
Cleaning Clothing And Bedding
Invariably, someone who has incontinence will still have accidents that soak his or her clothing and bedding. Having a home health aide on the scene is beneficial because the aide can constantly be doing as many loads of laundry as are needed. When clothing and bedding is wet and isn't dealt with promptly, it can begin to smell and the scent can permeate the entire home. The daily presence of the home health aide can go a long way toward making the home smell clean, which will augment your loved one's quality of life.