Confused About Palliative Care Vs. Hospice Care? You Aren’t Alone
Dear CV: I’m sorry about your mom’s health. We can feel so helpless when we watch a loved one suffer and the doctors to whom we look for advice seem to give up. Let's take a look at both programs to help clarify the differences for you. Then you can talk directly with your mom's physicians to see if one of them can help get her started on the best option for her at this time.
Incontinence After Menopause a Common Challenge
Then there is the stigma, some of which is perpetuated by women themselves. Are they less of a woman because they can no longer bear children? Are the mood changes, night sweats, and even memory problems that some women experience going to be lifelong problems?
Some Risky Behavior Might Be Necessary for Your Elder’s Mental Health
...his freedom to choose were far more valuable to him than his physical health, or even his life. When I’d explain that if he fell, he could lose all independence, he shrugged it off. I learned a lot from Joe, but the most important thing was that with dignity there often comes some risk.
The Complicated Prostate: Cancer Is a Concern but There's More To Consider
The prostate is a small organ located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It wraps around the urethra (the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body). As men age, the prostate tends to grow larger which can eventually cause any number of health issues including urine retention, but it can become cancerous, as well, particularly as men get older.
Fecal Incontinence Can Be a Side Effect of Various Conditions Including Constipation
Then, there is cognitive impairment. People with advanced dementia, whether Alzheimer’s or another type, often don’t remember how to go to the bathroom. Additionally, their brains may not be processing the correct signals to make them aware of the need even if they could remember what they were to do after they receive the signal.
Urinary Incontinence Not Uncommon Yet Stigma Persists
The thinking goes that once we have been “potty trained,” we’ll be in control of these bodily functions for life. If we slip up, we are shamed. Fast forward a few decades. The reality is that a significant number of adults will see some degree of incontinence in their future.
Embarrassment Over Incontinence Can Be Overcome with Support
Dear CM: I’m sorry about your struggle. Incontinence is a hard thing for any adult to adjust to but knowing that you have an outside interest could be your motivator so I’m glad that you mentioned the cars. Society’s problem, of course, is that we grow up feeling that not being able to manage one’s bladder and/or bowels is babyish. It doesn’t help that many people were punished as children if they wet their pants or had a bowel accident. The reality is that far more adults than you likely rea...
Incontinence Management Change Up Could Make Dad’s Fishing Trip Possible
Dear Carol: My father is 72 and is in the moderate stages of dementia. Before his dementia diagnosis, he was an active hunter and fisherman. He also has incontinence issues due to prostate cancer, surgery, and treatment. This requires an external urinary attachment system to maintain an active daily life. My mother, as his primary caregiver, works diligently to keep the system and attachments clean and in working order. However, he is at the stage in his dementia journey
You Aren’t Just a Number: Egosan Offers Superior Products and Personal Attention to Customers
These accolades go on and on. We simply wanted to let you know that you, the customer, matter to us. While Egosan is a family business started in Italy 30 years ago and approved by their National Healthcare System, it has only recently been introduced in the US. Egosan products are currently only available through Amazon, so the brand isn't offered in every big box store around. Yet, people find us when they are looking for quality and personalized customer service.
Could a New Medication Be the Cause of Mom’s Increased Falls?
Dear WM: One of the vital things that we do as caregivers is helping our older adult family members take necessary medications as prescribed, and question prescriptions that could be unnecessary. Questioning doesn’t mean that we should be antagonistic toward a doctor
Some Medications May Trigger or Worsen Cognitive or Incontinence Problems
In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says there is evidence that some overactive bladder medications (OBMs) can cause issues that are similar to Alzheimer’s and may, in some cases, even contribute to triggering symptoms.