The Use of Incontinence Products in Elder Care

Incontinence products are helpful for individuals who are suffering from urinary incontinence, most especially for elderly persons.Elderly individuals suffer from a lot of health problems and urinary incontinence is one of them. To help them with their condition, there are incontinence products that are available.The sources of these products are numerous. One can find them in drug stores, grocery stores, supply stores, and even on the internet. Buying them online or personally in stores will have their own advantages and disadvantages. Buying personally can allow you to inspect the product closely while buying them online will help spare you the trouble or for some, embarrassment of purchasing an incontinence product.The most famous of these incontinence products are probably diapers. Diapers are convenient to use as they can be worn under the clothes and can be discreet. Elderly individuals can take advantage of the ease of use of diapers even if they dress on their own and without the assistance of another person.Diapers, however, may have a few setbacks. One of these is when the person develops rashes on the skin on the areas that were exposed to soiled diapers. These irritations on the skin can come from the contact of the skin with urine. Rashes can be prevented by frequent changing or changing whenever the diaper is already soiled. Effectively cleaning the area will also greatly help.There are also pads which are shaped like underwear or briefs. These follow the shape of the body and may be more effective as they can prevent urine from leaking out of the pads. Also, these can be worn like underwear and will be more comfortable for the elderly, especially those who are active and can still walk on their own.There are also more products that are used to delay urine flow. These can be in the forms of clamps or bladder pessaries. These temporarily hold the urine until the person feels the urge and is ready to release the clamps or the supporting devices.Collection systems are also used. However, the person has to carry with him the urine bag which is usually attached to the legs. These urine collection bags are attached to catheters which collect the urine from the urethra.The elderly may also find under pads helpful in preventing urine from getting into the bed sheets whenever a primary incontinence product has malfunctioned in some way. These pads are usually made from thin urine pads which are absorbent on one side. The other side is made from waterproof material, usually plastic.In addition to these items, skin care products are also necessary. These can be in the form of cleaning soap or wash, moisturizers and creams that help protect the skin. These items are especially important for elderly individuals who have limitations in their physical mobility. Bed sores can be effectively prevented when the skin is well cared for and the right skin care products are used.These incontinence products are undeniably beneficial to the elderly, especially those who suffer from incontinence. There may be several disadvantages for each type. However, there are also some which offer a lot of convenience and benefits.