My Mum has incontinence as the house reeks of stale urine. How do I bring this up with her, I'm sure she cannot smell it. She is Size 26-28 & finds it really hard to get around, even going to the toilet is a challenge.
My Mum is only 66, but is quite overweight (Sixe 26-28 Approx) & finds it hard to get around, and I have the feeling that she has bladder incontinence. She is also suffering major post-menopausal bleeding at times which we are trying to get sorted out by a doctor - (ongoing including medical procedures).
Mum sits a lot in her recliner as she has low energy along with everything else & it has come to the point that the entire house smells like urine, especially her room & the bathroom. My Dad sleeps in a separate room, however it is causing a major rift between them as my Dad struggles to keep up with the housework & does not feel comfortable in broaching the subject of incontinence with her. On the occasions he has, it has brought her to tears, although he is not the most sensitive person.
Being the Eldest daughter, I really need to do something about this situation as the smell is unbearable & becomes most embarrassing when they have visitors..... If we take Mum & dad out & the house has been locked up, when we come home the house reeks, so Dad sprays loads of air freshener around & Mum is confused as why he is doing so?!?! I really don't think Mum can smell the problem.... It doesn't help that Mum sits in her recliner most of the time which is fabric, which seems to have absorbed urine also.
I have thrown out bed sheets, doonas etc & replaced with brand new ones, disenfected the mattress, purchased heavy duty pads for her bleeding in the hope that it will absorb some of the leakage of urine too. After doing this the smell returns within only a couple of days again.
Could you give me some advice on how to broach this subject with Mum sensitively, I will have to talk her into wearing some sort of incontinence pads/pants BUT IS THERE A SIZE THAT WILL FIT HER? WHAT OPTIONS DOES SHE HAVE?
I will have to get a waterproof mattress protector for her bed & wash the sheets more frequently.
My sister & I have talked about throwing out her recliner & replacing it as it it so stinky.
PLEASE HELP!!!! Any advice would be most appreciated.
Our expert answered:
Talking about incontinence with your family member is always a difficult subject to broach. Your mum probably feels very embarrassed about the situation and may even be in denial that she has a problem.
One way to tackle this issue is to have a quiet word with her doctor as the condition is often caused by other medical conditions.
You may also find that Poise products which are specifically designed for bladder loss and are also suitable for bleeding/menstruation will be a good option for your mum while making her feel normal. These products are similar to feminine hygiene products but are much more absorbent for urine loss. They also have odour control to help minimise the smell. They are available in the feminine hygiene section of the supermarket. Visit www.poise.com.au for more information.
You can also use a Depend underpad (available from pharmacists) to help protect her recliner.
It is a very difficult situation, not only for your mum but also for the carers involved. If you decide to talk to your mum directly about this, be sure to reassure her that there is often treatment available and talk about your concern for her health rather than the issue about the smell.
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