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Handling the needs of residents suffering from incontinence

LTC Nursing Assistant Trainer, September 24, 2009

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Residents who cannot control when or where they urinate suffer from urinary incontinence, or UI. There are things that can be done to improve this condition, but it is important to know what the cause is so the right care and treatment can be given. This condition is not the person’s fault. It is not the result of laziness or meanness and it is not a necessary or normal part of growing older. UI is a health problem with a number of possible causes including urinary tract infections, muscle weakness, vaginal problems (women), prostate problems (men), and constipation. The three treatments for UI are:

1. Medicine.
2. Surgery.
3. Behavioral treatments. These work well for residents who have problems getting to the bathroom or who are not able to tell you when they need to urinate. Three behavioral interventions that you can help with include:

• Scheduled toileting (assist the resident to the bathroom every two to four hours on a regular schedule)
• Prompted voiding (check the resident often for wetness, ask the resident if he or she needs to use the toilet, praise the resident for being dry)
• Habit training (use a bladder record to determine what time of day the resident typically urinates, take the resident to the bathroom at those times every day)

This is an excerpt from HCPro’s book, The CNA Training Solution, Second Edition.

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