Caring at home for those with bladder weakness can be very challenging. With this in mind, we have complied our top five tips to help you care for those in your life with urinary incontinence. If you’d like to read more tips on incontinence care, you can read our article on it here. 

1. Ensure that the person requiring care leads a healthy lifestyle

There are many factors that may help to improve your loved one’s symptoms, from quitting smoking to healthy eating. You could also recommend they try pelvic floor exercises, drink plenty of fluids and try cutting down on alcohol and caffeine, which are diuretics.  

2. Use the right incontinence products 

Absorbent products can be incredibly helpful to help lessen the clean-up needed when giving incontinence care. For daytime, make sure you use specially designed incontinence pads and not feminine hygiene products, which are not designed to neutralise the acidity of urine. For night-time accidents and leaks, please choose a product that has maxi absorption power and at the same time is breathable. This will ensure your loved one gets a sound sleep the entire night.  

Incontinence product selection can be overwhelming with multiple choices. However, if you need help or have questions on the right iD product suggestion or advice you can always contact us on 0800 389 6185.  Our friendly and helpful advisors would love to help you. 

3. Look after yourself 

As a carer, dealing with incontinence and providing incontinence care can be embarrassing, frustrating and stressful, particularly if you are caring for loved ones. Make sure you have plenty of time to destress and spend on hobbies and try to reach out to others or support groups for carers.⁶ 

4. Maintain good hygiene practices for incontinence care

Wear gloves when dealing with used hygiene products and thoroughly wash your hands afterwards. Make sure that you dispose of the hygiene products and gloves appropriately (in sanitary bins, do not flush them down the toilet).  

5. Incontinence care is challenging: Try to remain relaxed 

Some people may be resistant to receiving help for their incontinence issues as they feel embarrassed or like they lack independence. If this is the case for the person you are caring for, be honest with the care receiver as to how their incontinence affects you and the importance of using the products suggested.⁷ Humour can also be a powerful tool for lightening a situation and creating trust between you and your loved one, which in turn may alleviate some of their embarrassment or resistance. 

For over 40 years, iD has a wide range of hypoallergenic, dermatologically-tested products you can trust. Click below  to find discreet, affordable products that will help the carer receivers in your life live life in full view. 

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¹ “How to do pelvic floor exercises’, Medical News Today, 9 August 2018, Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322720.php

² “How to Use Kegel (Ben Wa) Balls a Pro”, Healthline, 3 May 2018, Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-use-kegel-balls

³ “Pelvic Floor Exercises for Women”, b&bf, n.d., Source: https://www.nhs.uk/planners/pregnancycareplanner/documents/bandbf_pelvic_floor_women.pdf

⁴ “10 ways to stop leaks”, NHS, n.d., Source: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/10-ways-to-stop-leaks/

⁵ “Don’t quick exercising because of urinary incontinence”, NAFC, n.d., Source: https://www.nafc.org/bhealth-blog/dont-quit-exercising-because-of-urinary-incontinence

⁶ “Incontinence – tips for carers”, Better Health, n.d., Source: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/incontinence-tips-for-carers

⁷ “Caring for Someone with Incontinence” – Family Caregiver Alliance, 2014, Source: https://www.caregiver.org/caring-someone-incontinence-emotional-and-social-issues