Incontinence care is one of those duties that makes family caregivers and their parents a little squeamish. Helping your mom or dad with toileting isn\u2019t easy or pleasant, but it\u2019s important. After all, incontinence is the loss of bowel or bladder control. Rather than struggle with unease, learn how to make it less invasive for your parent and less stressful for you.<\/p>\n
Consider Protective Garments<\/strong><\/p>\n Any grocery or discount store has a full section of incontinence pads and adult diapers. Use them when they\u2019re needed. Online retailers also ship directly to your parent\u2019s home if that\u2019s more convenient.<\/p>\n Your mom or dad may not love the idea of having to wear a diaper. Look into washable underwear that has built-in absorbent liners. These look like normal underwear with a thicker area between the legs that contain leaks.<\/p>\n If there is an accident, your parent needs to change and clean up with your help. The underwear is machine washable, so you can wash them with the next load of laundry. Consider keeping soiled underwear in a covered pail that\u2019s filled with Oxyclean and water. They can soak until you have laundry to do.<\/p>\n Wash Sections at a Time<\/strong><\/p>\n While you bathe your mom or dad after an accident, keep areas covered to provide as much modesty as possible. Remove enough of the towel to wash that section, return it, and move to the next area. With a hand-held shower head, you can rinse off as much mess as possible first.<\/p>\n A sponge on a handle is another way to protect modesty. If it\u2019s not exactly you touching your parent while you wash, it can be easier for them, and you, to manage. Use an unscented, moisturizing body wash to keep delicate skin from drying out.<\/p>\n