For elderly people facing personal care and continence issues, it can be difficult to ask for help with this sensitive topic. However, with the support of an understanding carer, you or your loved one can receive the compassionate care they need.
Experienced carers are trained to handle the most personal subject matter with tact and kindness, ensuring that elderly people can live with dignity in the comfort of their own homes.
If your loved one has been diagnosed with a continence problem or is finding personal care increasingly challenging, accepting the help of a home carer can be life-changing.
What is personal and continence care?
Both personal and continence care are forms of care that deal with sensitive issues. Carers assisting with these everyday aspects of care need to employ a great deal of understanding and sensitivity.
Continence care
Continence care provides support with toileting. Incontinence is the loss of control of the bladder and/or bowel function resulting in disruption to the normal process of going to the toilet to pass urine or faeces.
Live-in incontinence care can help manage the symptoms of incontinence and avoid embarrassment or discomfort. From offering gentle reminders to use the toilet to supporting the advice given by medical practitioners, the right incontinence care for the elderly can provide much-needed relief and reassurance.
Personal care
Personal care involves assisting with bathing, dressing, and grooming. These are everyday activities that we take for granted. However, as we age, mobility issues, and certain health conditions can impact our ability to take care of our personal hygiene and appearance.
Not only can a lack of personal care affect the comfort of the individual, but it can also cause a drop in confidence and self-esteem. The realisation that they can no longer groom themselves or keep clean may impact their social life and desire to go outside their home. A personal carer can assist them with this upkeep, ensuring they look and feel their best every day.
Take a look at our personal care guide for more information on home personal care and its components.
How can a carer help with personal and continence care?
Enduring the challenges of incontinence and personal care issues alone can be hard to bear. A carer can support you or a loved one with these problems through their expertise in incontinence and personal care. Ways in which a carer can help include:
- Nutrition support – Preparing foods and drinks that won’t irritate the bladder and bowels can prevent discomfort and help with bladder and bowel incontinence in elderly people
- Reminders – Carers can provide gentle reminders for those who routinely forget to use the facilities
- Understanding – Carers understand that accidents do happen and will help individuals manage these occurrences deftly and with dignity
- Mobility – If getting to the bathroom is a challenge in itself, carers can provide mobility assistance or suggest equipment that may help
- Exercise – In-line with instructions from healthcare professionals, a carer can encourage individuals to carry out pelvic floor exercises in order to strengthen the muscles around the bladder and pelvic region, resulting in more control
How to support someone with elderly incontinence
There are a number of ways to assist someone with elderly incontinence issues. Top tips for old age incontinence support include:
- Quit smoking – A smoker’s cough puts strain on the pelvic floor muscles, leading to loss of control.
- Reduce alcohol – Alcohol is a diuretic, causing more frequent urination. Limiting alcohol may help with incontinence symptoms.
- Cut caffeine – Like alcohol, caffeine is also a diuretic that can make incontinence worse. Switching to decaf coffee is a good alternative.
- Work-out routine – Swap out high impact activity for low impact pelvic floor strengthening exercises for a lower risk of leaks.
- Limit lifting – Lifting heavy loads can strain more than our backs, it can put pressure on pelvic floor muscles, so try to avoid wherever possible and seek help.
- High fibre foods – incorporating foods rich in fibre into the diet can help with digestive issues such as constipation and promotes regular bowel movements.
- Stay hydrated – Elderly people may try to avoid drinking water for fear that they will have an accident. However, this can cause more health problems, so staying hydrated should be encouraged.
- Diet – Highly acidic or spicy foods can irritate the bladder and can exacerbate incontinence symptoms.
How Country Cousins can help
Caring for an elderly person facing continence and personal care issues can be challenging to handle as a family caregiver. A professional continence and personal carer can navigate this sensitive subject matter with empathy and without causing unnecessary embarrassment. Country Cousins personal care can match your loved one with a professional carer, who can improve their quality of life and provide the essential support they need.
With more than 60 years of experience, we have extensive expertise in a wide range of home care services. You can trust us to help you find the most suitable carer to support your loved one with personal care. For more information on choosing personal and continence care for you or your elderly loved one, check out our guide to personal care at home.
Talk to our team today
If you require live-in care for you or your loved one, get in touch with us at Country Cousins today. We are the UK’s longest-serving introductory care agency, having provided compassionate care to people in their own homes since 1959.
Give us a call today on 01293 244 706. should you have any questions about home care. Our experienced team is on hand to help from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm. Alternatively, contact us through our online enquiry form.
