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Expert Q&A
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| By Denise Elser, M.D. Urogynecologist | ||
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My mother is 84 and has urinary incontinence. I would especially appreciate any information you could offer on odor control. Mom is rather resistant to bathing and changing her diaper regularly. She's mentally fine. It's just a laziness/passive-aggressive thing. She's in assisted living and I would really like to make her room smell less like a latrine. Thanks for your help.
I sympathize with you completely. I have a 91-year-old, very stubborn grandmother, who lives with me. She has worn DependŽ since her stroke.
It is important to realize that while your mother may seem mentally fine, we know that many older people seem OK on the surface, but may actually have a mild form of dementia that makes her extra stubborn or not aware of her odor. In addition, some older people can lose their sense of smell over time and not notice the smell as much as others.
The good news is that there are many products available that can neutralize the odor of urine. I recommend that you contact the National Foundation for Continence (NAFC). NAFC can provide you with some wonderful resources as to which products are available. They will even send you a catalogue to make ordering the products easy."
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- My mother is 84 and has urinary incontinence. I would especially appreciate any information you could offer on odor control.
- I care for my elderly mother and sometimes I get very frustrated, though don't want to take it out on her. How can I release my frustrations without affecting my mother?
- What can happen to someone who suffers from incontinence and decides to remain indoors and not socialize for fear of having an accident in public?