When you have an elderly parent, you might be the person that ends up being their primary caregiver, especially if they come to live with you. One of the issues that you may not be fully prepared to handle is the fact that your elderly parent may have incontinence issues. The issue of incontinence is one that may be uncomfortable for you and your parent to discuss, as they may feel some form of shame or embarrassment about it. Get to know some of the ways that you might be able to help your elderly parent with this sensitive health concern so that you can be sure you are the best caregiver possible for them.

Make Sure Their Room Is Always Stocked With Extra Sheets And Mattress Protectors

Your parent may have accidents during the night. This is a common occurrence with incontinence, as they may not be able to wake up and/or get out of bed in time to get to the bathroom. If your parent is still mobile and able to strip a bed and change the sheets, it might be a good idea to keep extra bed linens in an easily accessible place in their bedroom.

By doing so, you are giving your parent the ability to clean up after any accidents they have in bed without any embarrassment or shame of having to seek you out to find extra sheets in the early morning or middle of the night. Mattress protectors are also available for all sizes of mattresses that will keep the mattress from having those accidents soak through and cause damage. This ensures that your parent's bed stays in good shape, even if they need to change their bed linens due to accidents sometimes. 

Consider Keeping Bed And Chair Pads Around For Them As Well

Bed and chair pads are also good incontinence and urological supplies to keep around for your elderly parent with incontinence. These are absorbent pads that can be placed on chairs and in bed sheets (on top of the fitted sheet) to protect from incontinence accidents.

Many chair and bed pads are reusable and feature absorbent top and middle layers as well as a waterproof bottom layer. This can further protect your elderly parent's favorite seats and their bed linens from damage from urine or fecal matter. The best thing about many of these pads, especially the chair pads is that they are designed to look just like other cushions or comfort pads placed on furniture. Your parent will be able to use these pads without feeling embarrassed about anyone being able to tell the difference.

Now that you know a few of the ways that you can help your elderly parent with their incontinence issues, you can better take care of them and make them feel more comfortable and less embarrassed in the process.

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