Caregiving at home for late stage Alzheimer’s and Dementia

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Incontinence

jsps139_
jsps139_ Member Posts: 200
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For caregivers that are already dealing with incontinence issues at night …. did you purchase supplies (mattress protectors, depends, etc) before your LO had an issue with this, or did you wait for the first incident? My DH hasn’t had any bed wetting yet, but I’m wondering if I should prepare for the future since I guess it will be inevitable at some point. Or do some dementia patients never have incontinence at night?

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  • ​fesk
    ​fesk Member Posts: 478
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    Hi jsps139.

    Can't speak to whether some will never have incontinence, but my mother went a very long time before it occurred. I do think it started as a side effect of a med she was on. First it was only at night. Eventually, it also occurred during the day.

    I think it would make sense to have a mattress protector on the bed before any issues begin. I think you'll know when it's time to start buying Depends, etc. Couldn't hurt to have something with light protection on hand. The rest, I would wait as needs will change.

  • edumer
    edumer Member Posts: 2
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    > @jsps139_ said:
    > For caregivers that are already dealing with incontinence issues at night …. did you purchase supplies (mattress protectors, depends, etc) before your LO had an issue with this, or did you wait for the first incident? My DH hasn’t had any bed wetting yet, but I’m wondering if I should prepare for the future since I guess it will be inevitable at some point. Or do some dementia patients never have incontinence at night?
  • edumer
    edumer Member Posts: 2
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    I purchased before necessary. A 5x8 bathroom rug to cover the carpet next to the bed, a mattress protector, large absorbent pads, a bed alarm, Depends and urinals. The bed alarm is a life saver when it goes off I get up and take the urinal to his side of the bed. He will wake up stand up and start to urinate so all of this has been a huge help.
  • jsps139_
    jsps139_ Member Posts: 200
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    Oh thank you! I think I’ll start purchasing a few items each month. I guess it’s better to put everything together before that first accident.

  • ImMaggieMae
    ImMaggieMae Member Posts: 1,028
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    We had mattress protectors already because of pets that slept with us over the years. Good to have but after 2+ years of incontinence I don’t think we ever have gotten down to even the bedsheets. We have some very good washable over the sheets mattress pads https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076X1LF6R/ref%3Dppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    We’ve been using X-Large puppy pee pads over these. But the key is really well fitting soft pull-ups with a sticky backed pad placed inside. At night I poke several small holes into the pad so moisture that overflows the pad soaks into the pull-ups rather than running over the edge and out. These pads are heavy duty, the type used for after child birth. They absorb probably 90% of the urine and last 9 or 10 hours at least.

  • jsps139_
    jsps139_ Member Posts: 200
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    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/220477#Comment_220477

    So very helpful! Thanks!

  • Silverplatter
    Silverplatter Member Posts: 3
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    My DH wears diapers and I also put a Poise nighttime pad inside the diaper at night. He sometimes sleeps through the night and creates a mess even with a pad on bed
  • ImMaggieMae
    ImMaggieMae Member Posts: 1,028
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    Silverplatter, have you tried a different pad? One that is designed for women after childbirth, a heavy duty one, is what you’re looking for. There are a lot of pads that are advertised as nighttime pads that don’t really hold a lot. Try pouring a couple cups of water slowly over a pad to see how much it will absorb.

  • Kathryn Mc
    Kathryn Mc Member Posts: 12
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    Within the last couple of months, my mom has become completely incontinent often wetting through her “always discreet brand Underware “at night. I have a waterproof mattress cover on, and I put a washable underpad on top of sheet. If she does leak through her underwear, the washable pad catches the excess and is easily washed and changed . These pads are a game changer. Occasionally, she does miss the pad and the sheets need changing, but the waterproof mattress cover protects any mishap on the mattress.

    https://a.co/d/csGDbbm

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
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