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Urinary incontinence

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Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine. The muscles that keep the bladder closed become weaker and lead to discreet or larger losses of urine that require the use of pads or nappies.

  • Use absorbents only if the person is incontinent
  • Help the person to urinate by accompanying him or her to the toilet every two hours, even if he or she feels no need
  • Avoid and prevent accidents by removing any unnecessary obstacles in the way
  • Dress the person in comfortable clothing that is easy to remove if needed
  • After each visit to the toilet, the skin needs to be kept clean and dry
  • To prevent any possible urinary infection:
    • Ensure good genital and urinary hygiene
    • Drink plenty of liquids
    • Detect signs and symptoms: discomfort when urinating, irritation, fever, etc.
    • If using a hygienic absorbent, this should be changed as often as necessary to prevent the risk of mycoses and irritations

How to change a nappy

  • Wash your hands
  • Always remove nappies from behind
  • Wash the skin well and check to ensure it is dry
  • Place the nappy around the front of the body
  • If the person has problems of mobility, but can stand up, they should hold on to something to keep their balance while the nappy is changed
  • With a patient sitting down or in a wheelchair, it is advisable to place the chair near a wall or to apply the brakes, to prevent it from moving when changing the nappy

When to change:

  • When faeces are present
  • If the nappy has a moisture indicator, when this indicates full saturation. If not, check visually, by touch, or check for increased weight
  • Elastic nappies have adhesives that can be opened and close several times, allowing the person to go to the toilet without having to change the nappy each time
Read more Changes in bowel movements
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