Dementia and Incontinence

Dementia is an umbrella term for a host of memory loss symptoms. As dementia becomes more prevalent with age, many sufferers are also dealing with incontinence. 

Why Do People With Dementia Develop Incontinence?

There are a number of reasons why someone with dementia might develop incontinence. 

•    Not recognising the bathroom – People with dementia can struggle to recognise common household objects. While they can visually ‘see’ the toilet in front of them, they might not be able to identify what it is, and what it is used for. 

•    Getting lost and wandering - People suffering with dementia tend to get lost very easily. The pathways responsible for spatial awareness can become muddled, and ‘wandering’ aimlessly becomes common. While this might begin out in the world, it can progress to confusion and getting lost within one’s own home.

•    Communication issues – Dementia can cause communication to break down. A person with advanced dementia might not be able to alert their carer that they need to use the toilet before it is too late. 

•    Mobility loss – Dementia is often accompanied by reduced mobility and other physical disabilities. Even if a person is conscious that they need to use the toilet, their physical condition might prevent them from doing so. This often results in an inability to get to the bathroom in time to prevent an accident.

Incontinence Pads and Pull - Up Pants
Incontinence Pads  or pull up pants can give a person suffering with incontinence a sense of normality, whilst at the same time, maintaining their dignity. A wide range of Incontinence  products are available from HARTMANN Direct, which provide containment for both urinary and faecal incontinence to help reduce the embarrassment that incontinence can cause.          

One of the best things you can do to keep life as normal as possible  for someone with dementia.  HARTMANN customer Adrienne recounts her experiences with husband Jeff. “Jeff’s problem was not remembering quickly enough that he needs to go to the toilet during the day and having frequent accidents during the night. We tried to manage it ourselves, to begin with by looking out for signs he needed the toilet and setting the alarm… but he was frequently soiling the bed.”

She found respite and relief with HARTMANN MoliCare® pull-up pants. Adrienne continued, “the MoliCare® pull-up pants are much better for Jeff as they look like normal underwear, so he doesn’t get upset wearing them. He can pull them up and down like normal pants, which helps him maintain his dignity.”

“We want him to keep his independence for as long as possible and minimise what is already a confusing world for him.” 

Adrienne is just one of thousands of customers around the UK who have benefitted from using MoliCare® pads and pull up pants for themselves and their loved ones. Dementia or not, no one deserves to have incontinence affect their quality of life. 

Reference list

 1. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/toilet-problems-continence

 2. https://www.scie.org.uk/dementia/living-with-dementia/difficult-situations/using-the-toilet.asp

 3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/caregivers/in-depth/alzheimers/art-20046222