Try: Try using safety features in the bathroom such as grab bars and raised toilet seats these items make using the bathroom safer try using a bed side commode or urinal if cr’s flexibility or the distance to the bathroom is a problem they may be especially helpful at night lack of control over bowel or bladder functions can be embarrassing and cr may try to hide it from you be sensitive to cr cr’s feelings and mention this to cr’s doctor loss of bowel and bladder control is not a part of normal aging and often can be controlled if cr has bowel and or bladder problems it may help to take him her to the bathroom every 2 hours specialized programs exist to retrain a bladder and bowel function you may want to see if a program exists in your area

Materials: Grab bars raised toilet seats bed side commode or urinal

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical, Personal, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Immobile, Independence, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Unaware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: caregiver’s handbook by the caregiver education and support services seniors counseling and training case management services of the san diego county mental health services no date available at www acsu buffalo edu

Keywords: Toileting bladder bowels incontinence bathroom safety bed bound

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed