{"id":6919,"date":"2026-01-20T10:28:39","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T10:28:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmoderm.it\/dementia-and-incontinence-7-useful-tips-for-caregivers\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T10:28:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T10:28:39","slug":"dementia-and-incontinence-7-useful-tips-for-caregivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmoderm.it\/en\/dementia-and-incontinence-7-useful-tips-for-caregivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Dementia and incontinence: 7 useful tips for caregivers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that represents more than just memory loss because it generates a decline in the person, undermines his or her independence, and negatively affects his or her health and quality of life.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The management of incontinence in an elderly person with dementia is very complicated and can be highly emotionally delicate.  <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caregivers often feel overwhelmed by the constant work of care and support, especially if they are caring for their own family member, and over time find themselves facing destabilization in their personal lives.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">  In many cases, they wonder whether it is worth continuing in this way or it would make more sense to get help and entrust their loved one to a nursing home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The goal of this article is to help the caregiver have a more peaceful life and to help the caregiver cope better with daily life through small steps<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><b>Two simple things you can do to improve your loved one&#8217;s lifestyle and routine are to encourage proper nutrition and to tie physiological needs to moments of daily routine. Also, to increase the personal safety of the caregiver, it is important to make the bathroom clearly visible and accessible. It is important to take care of skin care on a regular basis using specific and quality products. From a psychological point of view, empathic and communicative care is equally important, making one&#8217;s loved one feel understood and understood.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the next paragraphs we go into much more detail through 7 useful tips on how to put these arrangements into practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Table of Contents:<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#incontinenza1\">Living with dementia is a challenge<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#incontinenza2\">What causes urinary incontinence in people with dementia?<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#incontinenza3\">At what stage of dementia does incontinence occur?<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#incontinenza4\">7 tips for caregivers<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#incontinenza5\">Get help<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/old.farmoderm.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Untitled-design-7-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Dementia and incontinence: 7 tips for caregivers\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #999999;\">Image 1: Caregiver caring for an elderly person.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"incontinenza1\"><\/a>  Living with dementia is a challenge<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dementia afflicts more than 1 million elderly people in Italy and leads to loss of cognitive and motor skills. An estimated 3 million people are directly or indirectly involved in the care of their loved ones. We are talking about thousands of families who suffer physically and psychologically on a daily basis.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, dementia <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">not only has implications in the life of the elderly person, but<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it also causes <strong>suffering, frustration<\/strong> and <strong>distress<\/strong> in family members. Caring for one&#8217;s parent, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">seeing his or her mental and physical state constantly worsening is not an easy process to deal with. Often <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">one does not feel up to the task and all this leads in many cases to high levels of stress or worse to severe depression.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><a id=\"incontinenza2\"><\/a>  What causes urinary incontinence in people with dementia?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most common problems with advancing age is <strong>incontinence<\/strong>, in fact after age 60 between 15% and 35% of the elderly in Italy begin to suffer from it. These rates rise significantly in the elderly with dementia, up to 60-70% of cases. Several studies also show us that a high percentage of these, about 75\/80%, are RSA residents therefore many more than those domiciled at home.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/old.farmoderm.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Infographic-CHART-caregivers.jpg\" alt=\"Data regarding people with dementia\" width=\"793\" height=\"390\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"color: #999999;\">Chart 1: Among people over sixty, incontinence mainly occurs in the elderly with dementia<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In people with advanced dementia <strong>, incontinence is due to a mix of factors, both physical and mental.<\/strong> Bowel and bladder control is often lost due to the inability to react quickly to stimuli or to remember where the bathroom is. In severe cases, the physical and mental perception of urgency to urinate or bowel movements vanishes.   <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In general, the reasons that cause incontinence in people with dementia are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical limitations in reaching the bathroom on time<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The loss of mobility<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The feeling of confusion that leads to not recognizing the bathroom or not remembering how to reach it<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Communication difficulties with the caregiver<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><a id=\"incontinenza3\"><\/a>  At what stage of dementia does incontinence occur?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally, the first cases of incontinence begin to occur <strong>in the intermediate stages of<\/strong> the disease, mainly due to mental blackouts.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is at this stage that the elderly person begins to have the first instances of disorientation, confusion, times when one may forget where the bathroom is located, to not remember well how to use the proper accessories or even urinate and defecate in places that are not the right ones.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These can be compounded by physical issues, such as difficulty in undressing, undoing buttons, or a general disregard for one&#8217;s personal hygiene.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>In the more advanced stage of<\/strong> the disease, on the other hand, the elderly person incurs much more frequent and prolonged episodes of disorientation in which he or she is not aware of his or her surroundings, does not recognize signals given by his or her body such as urgency in having to do his or her needs, and develops severe difficulties in communicating this need.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this time the person loses perception of the problem and becomes totally dependent on someone, a caregiver who will have to take care of him or her continuously.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><a id=\"incontinenza4\"><\/a>  7 Tips for caregivers<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incontinence is recognized by caregivers as the biggest problem in managing an elderly person with dementia.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is good, at the onset of symptoms, to seek medical attention to see if there are physical issues behind these difficulties, otherwise it can be very helpful to follow these 7 tips that can significantly improve the lives of both of you.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>1: <b>Make the bathroom easily recognizable, accessible and usable<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It sounds trivial, but the elderly with dementia especially in the later stage have difficulty reaching the bathroom due to a physical impossibility or they may not remember where it is located, even in their own home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are <strong>ten tips<\/strong> that can be critically important for the elderly person&#8217;s <strong>safety<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make the bathroom visible by always leaving the door open<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attach photos on the door and use strong colors so that it stands out from the surrounding walls<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a comfortable and fragrant indoor environment that entices the person to stay there for as long as necessary<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure the door is easily opened  <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rearrange spaces so that the bathroom is as close as possible to the resident&#8217;s bed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Always leave a light on at night<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Install support handles, perhaps colorful, that the elderly person can hold onto to prevent falls<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remove all obstacles both external and internal, such as plants, trash cans, and items that might be mistaken for a toilet<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For men, it can be especially helpful to fix the toilet at the right height and color the water inside to create contrast and make it easier to distinguish<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hide or disguise the bidet to prevent it from being confused with the toilet.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>2: Ensure the hygiene and cleanliness of the caregiver and the place where he or she lives<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The skin of the elderly is very fragile, and incontinence can weaken it even more, becoming a cause of<strong> skin irritation and injury.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This happens because of prolonged contact of urine and\/or feces with your loved one&#8217;s skin<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fragile skin, having a poor physiological protective barrier, is more prone to the onset of injury. Injuries are easily penetrated by bacteria that can cause irritation or infection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is therefore essential to properly wash <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the elderly person, check that his or her skin is perfectly dry and that he or she<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> always has clean clothing to wear<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many experts recommend using no-rinse products because they allow the elderly person to wash without continually using water that could damage the skin.  <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For cleaning, it is preferable to use soft <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/farmoderm.shop\/product\/bioderm-cellusoft-piegato-a-z\/\">disposable cloths <\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which provide better hygiene than classic sponges and, due to their high absorbency and durability, ensure dry and lint-free skin<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another important aspect is to try to have the caregiver live in an environment that is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">safe, pleasant and clean. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To do this, it is important to clean and ventilate rooms regularly, eliminating possible sources of odors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cleaning of clothing, bedding, as well as chair covers and mattresses is essential.  <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For everyday items that cannot be washed consistently and conveniently (chairs, sofa, mattress&#8230;), it is recommended to use covers made of special waterproof and breathable materials.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/old.farmoderm.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Untitled-design-8-1-2-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Dementia and Incontinence: 7 tips for caregivers\" width=\"733\" height=\"489\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #999999;\">Image 2: Caregiver caring for an elderly person.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>3: Use the most appropriate products for the elderly person<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using the right products represents a key element that can help as much <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">decrease the possible occurrence of incontinence-related skin problems<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ensure greater cleanliness and safety and, of course, facilitate the work of the caregiver. It is very important:<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Choose clothing that is easy to remove and clean.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you could have people use pants with elastic bands instead of zippers, which are considerably easier to undo. Pants with button closures, complicated zippers, and narrow openings should be avoided. Elderly people may have physical difficulties in removing clothes, which may cause them to be slower to reach the bathroom. Of course, for the caregiver this also results in huge savings in terms of time and also physical.     <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often elderly people with dementia tend to want to remove clothes or diapers, even at inappropriate times. So it would be appropriate in these cases to use clothes that cannot be removed without help, perhaps with a back zipper. <\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Have the caregiver wear diapers.  <\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even in the absence of actual incontinence (urinary and\/or fecal), it is recommended to use absorbent pants, which prove essential when difficulty in reaching the bathroom arises. There are various types, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">very comfortable to wear both disposable and washable and reusable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pants or diapers should be changed as soon as one notices that they are soiled,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, generally every three hours to avoid prolonged contact with liquids and bacteria, except at night where it can be kept longer so as not to interrupt sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proper fastening of these restraining devices is also essential. This is because in case of too loose fastening there is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the risk of embarrassing leakage or that<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the elderly person can easily remove it while in the opposite case it could cause redness and abrasions on the skin of the caregiver.<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Use skin care products daily.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leaks due to incontinence can cause skin irritation in the long run, and in severe cases, injury. It is therefore good to create a daily routine, using a variety of products that can make it easier for the caregiver to have healthier and more moisturized skin. These products should be used after each evacuation or urination thoroughly.    <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fundamental is the choice of these products (creams, cleansers and shampoos) and the methodology of use and application, which must be done with gentle movements. Also very important is the drying phase, which must be thorough and performed by patting the skin, without rubbing. The <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/farmoderm.shop\/product\/bioderm-pasta-barriera-con-zinco\/\">barrier creams<\/a><\/strong> are very useful for protecting the skin from prolonged contact with moisture and irritants.  <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>4: Encourage proper nutrition and hydration<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having proper nutrition is a vitally important factor <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that avoids unpleasant repercussions in the already complicated management of incontinence. There is a whole range of beverages and foods that an elderly or incontinent person should not consume because they lead to an increase in the frequency of the need to go to the bathroom by increasing the occasions of discomfort.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Very important is to ensure <strong>proper hydration<\/strong>, making sure that the caregiver takes in the correct amount of fluids.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While recommending a consultation with one&#8217;s General Practitioner, a generalized indication might be this<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<table dir=\"ltr\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"227\">\n<col width=\"211\"><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Alimenti da evitare\"}\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Foods to avoid<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Alimenti Consigliati\"}\"><span style=\"color: #339966;\"><strong>Recommended Foods<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Caff\u00e8\"}\">Coffee<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Pesce (omega 3)\"}\">Fish with omega 3 (cod, salome, swordfish)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"T\u00e8\"}\">Tea<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Alimenti Integrali\"}\">Whole foods (bread, pasta, rice, oats, barley)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Cioccolata\"}\">Chocolate<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Yogurt e latte fermentato\"}\">Yogurt and fermented milk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Bevande gassate\"}\">Carbonated beverages<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Frutta di stagione\"}\">Fruits in season (apples, bananas, grapes, persimmons, strawberries)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Cibo piccante\"}\">Spicy foods<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Verdure a foglia verde\"}\">Green leafy vegetables (broccoli, turnips, lettuce, spinach, asparagus)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Frutta secca\"}\">Dried fruits<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Legumi (ceci, fagioli, fave ecc)\"}\">Legumes (chickpeas, beans, fava beans, quinoa, etc.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Alcool\"}\">Alcohol<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Soia\"}\">Soy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Alcuni alimenti acidi (limoni, lime, arance, pompelmo)\"}\">Some acidic foods (lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit)<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Acqua (1,5\/2 litri al giorno)\"}\">Water (1.5\/2 liters per day)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Prodotti a base di pomodoro\"}\">Tomato products<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Forrmaggio (per insaporire le pietanze senza usare spezie)\"}\">Cheese (to flavor dishes without using spices)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Zucchero, miele e dolcificanti in generale\"}\">Sugar, honey and sweeteners in general<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\" data-sheets-value=\"{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Ortaggi\"}\">Vegetables (cucumbers, peppers, carrots, pumpkin)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em style=\"color: #999999; text-align: center;\">Table: list of foods that can help or harm people with incontinence<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obviously not everyone reacts in the same way to the administration of these foods, so if they are part of the elderly person&#8217;s diet, it is important to try to reduce them individually, trying to assess what the body&#8217;s response to that change is on a case-by-case basis.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>5: Try to establish periodic urination<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trying to create a routine can be a great help because it allows the body to get used to certain rhythms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In general you should try to<strong> encourage bathroom use as soon as they wake up, after meals and before bedtime<\/strong>. When they are still fairly independent, you can ask them to go to the bathroom every two hours or so, figuring out what is the perfect timing for their body. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the more advanced stages of the disease, the caregiver is unable to manage his or her impulses on a regular basis. At this stage, lack of communication could be an obstacle, so common nonverbal forms must be found that can indicate the need for bathroom use. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the elderly person loses the communicative and physical ability to provide for his or her own needs The caregiver should then be responsible for accompanying the elderly person to the bathroom every few hours, usually two, and always try to do so at the same times.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We imagine this can be quite complicated so it is essential to ask for help from professionals or other family members who can help.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>6: Detailed care of pelvic emptying<b>.<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The caregiver should be skillful, as mentioned earlier, in trying to establish a good routine. However, he or she should also help the caregiver to <strong>carry out the practice of urination and evacuation properly<\/strong> and then monitor it in terms of both quantity and quality. There are several aspects that the caregiver should monitor.  <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The caregiver must sit correctly on the toilet. This is an essential aspect because it ensures that there is proper emptying of the bladder and rectal ampulla. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The caregiver should not push <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in an attempt to stimulate or speed up urination or evacuation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good caregiver must therefore be able to succeed in establishing a routine in urination <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and evacuations, monitoring that these are carried out in the correct way and creating a kind of planned emptying.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If this is done in the right way, the results can be great for both the caregiver and the elderly person, resulting in fewer accidents and less stress and fatigue for the caregiver.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>7: Be empathetic, understanding and communicative<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The last piece of advice is not related to physical issues, rather it focuses on the importance of <strong>emotional support to the elderly person<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The person with dementia needs to be reassured and comforted; it is important for the caregiver to try to give serenity to the caregiver, show approval for what he or she is doing, and especially not make the caregiver feel guilty when incontinence episodes occur. It may seem that the caregiver does not realize or feel emotions, but in many cases they feel humiliated by what is happening. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One should not regard this topic as taboo, rather one should talk about it and always have a positive and understanding attitude toward the caregiver.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is necessary to realize that not everyone reacts in the same way to these inconveniences. Some may get nervous and be grumpy, while others may recognize the problem as part of their illness. Therefore, it is important to genuinely approach the situation and be respectful, talk calmly about the topic and avoid coming across as rude and nervous.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose <strong>empathy<\/strong> instead of pity, trying to understand their feelings and thoughts and instilling positivity. This can definitely help you in the long run. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They often feel awkward, try to encourage communication, and if they are reluctant you start the conversation clearly and make it clear that you are fully aware of their problems and needs. Stay positive and patient even when an incident occurs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong><a id=\"incontinenza5\"><\/a><span style=\"vertical-align: inherit;\"><span style=\"vertical-align: inherit;\"> <b>Get help<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing an elderly person with dementia also causes great distress, especially in the case of caring for a loved one, perhaps a parent. Seeing him or her in that condition can be lacerating and frustrating. All these elements can impact so much on the caregiver&#8217;s life, cause stress and in many cases even depression.    <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, one must understand that it is not a problem to take a break and not be there every day. There is nothing wrong with <strong>asking other family members<\/strong> or more experienced people <strong>for help<\/strong>. On the contrary, it is absolutely necessary to take time off, perhaps vacation time to regenerate yourself as much mentally as physically so that you will be more efficient when you return to care for the person with dementia.  <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that represents more than just memory loss because it generates a decline in the person, undermines his or her independence, and negatively affects his or her health and quality of life. The management of incontinence in an elderly person with dementia is very complicated and can be highly emotionally delicate. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64,62],"tags":[97],"class_list":["post-6919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advice-for-caregivers","category-care-of-the-elderly","tag-elderly-care-2"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Dementia and incontinence: 7 useful tips for caregivers - Farmoderm.it<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/farmoderm.it\/en\/dementia-and-incontinence-7-useful-tips-for-caregivers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dementia and incontinence: 7 useful tips for caregivers - Farmoderm.it\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that represents more than just memory loss because it generates a decline in the person, undermines his or her independence, and negatively affects his or her health and quality of life. The management of incontinence in an elderly person with dementia is very complicated and can be highly emotionally delicate. 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