How to Convince a Older Adult with Incontinence to Wear Adult Diapers

Photo credit Mathias Konrath Incontinence is a condition that is often difficult for a person to accept and deal with. Many seniors try to ignore this new development and carry on with their lives, but a head-in-the-sand approach usually draws more attention to the problem. There are ways to encourage a loved one to address this issue, but they require patience, understanding and a commitment to upholding your loved one’s dignity. Pro Tip: Strike the Word Diaper from Your Vocabulary “My parent won’t wear adult diapers and it drives me nuts!” This is a common complaint from family caregivers whose loved ones are suffering from incontinence, and I absolutely sympathize. However, one glaring piece of this sentence stands out to me: the word “diaper.” Figuring out how to talk to elderly parents about incontinence is difficult. The first thing I urge caregivers to do when tackling this sensitive topic is to think carefully about their word choices. Seniors often rebel against the word “diaper” as an adult of any age would—and for good reason. This term is typically associated with babies or toddlers who have yet to be toilet trained. What adult would take kindly to the word when it’s applied to them? To take it one step further, think about this. If you are a middle-aged woman who has had children, you have probably suffered from stress incontinence occasionally, meaning that you’ve leaked a little urine while coughing, sneezing, or laughing. Perhaps you’ve...
Source: Minding Our Elders - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Source Type: blogs