Mom is now (unhappily) ensconced in her new community - she was transferred from rehab Mon evening. I am trying to figure out if "pull ups" are the same as incontinence underwear? Are Depends pull ups? Or are those Always brand "lady underwear" the same as adult pull ups?
I knew from the mountains of stinky laundry and evidence on some chairs at my mother's home that she was having incontinence issues. The hospital and rehab put her in "pull ups." She also developed C.diff somewhere along the line, which was supposed to have resolved before she was discharged from rehab but she is having diarrhea again. So I need to purchase the correct item but the facility uses some generic products they buy in bulk and all the nurse told me was to get some adult pull ups. (I don't want to pay $79/mo for the community to provide them until I see if that is cost-effective.)
Mom is not totally incontinent - she much prefers the toilet if she gets help to get her to it in time, so she doesn't need a super absorbent item.
Can anyone recommend a brand that is comfortable, affordable and good for medium urine incontinence but will also catch any C. diff issues? Mom is 5'3 and 120 pounds now, so pretty small. Thanks!
Ok.. on the underwear issue. Pullups....they are called pullups because they are put on just like your normal underwear.... and pulled up. In home healthcare, we use the pullups when the patient/client is still walking. When you use these with bedbound patients... we have found very more difficult to use. When the patient/client is no longer walking, we normally switch to "diapers".
Then there are the other kind.... we call those diapers ONLY to differentiate them from pullups. FYI... I DO NOT call them diapers in front of my patients because most likely would offend them. These are put on like diapers for infants because the front is brought up between the legs. The back part has those sticky tabs that then come around to the front ----that then stick to the front part.
Here is something else that I have found that works... and helps ease the work of the caregiver and cheaper.
For the male----buy those pads that women use during the menstrual cycle. Wrap one around the penis. You can figure out which way works the best. Some of these pads are very absorbent and hold a ton of urine. Also the runny feces. When my patient/client has "the runs", I put these pads over his anus to catch the "runs". You might need 2 to cover that area. ..and then have the diapers/pullups over that. These pads much of the time are the ONLY thing that gets dirty and therefore the only thing you have to change and .......saves money, too!
For women ----place the pad from the back to front, between her legs. Also, you can do the same for her if she has diarrhea.
You may end up using 2-3 pads inside the pullup/diaper to catch whatever and then all you may have to do is change those pads. Much easier than having to change the pullups or diapers with all that rolling of the client that has to be done to accomplish that feat.
God bless you. Hugs... from a caregiver of 30 years.
For adult incontinence the pull on underwear comes in all sizes and absorbencies. My aunt is satisfied with the Amazon brand Solimo disposable underwear but she only occasionally has accidents. Mainly these give her a bit more time to get to the toilet.
Mom has big urinary incontinence issues and occasional diarrhea. She uses Tena overnight and the Tena super absorbency disposable underwear.
Your mom may use small in either brand. Both are the pull on kind.
You can try out smaller packages from the grocery store to start with.
I highly recommend a daily probiotic for her gut help. Her facility physician would probably agree. Get her to eat some yogurt everyday.
Good luck!
But if she is needed help to make it to the bathroom then believe me, she won't be making it there in time because they can take up to 15 minutes or even longer to come and help you.
They usually keep residents in pull ups so they don't have to worry about getting them to the toilet in time.
There forever, the loved one will usually poop and or pee in their pull ups before they get to the toilet.
Juse hope they don't leave your loved one in wet or soiled diapers for very long or she will end up with a rash or worse.
Sad but True.
You should deffiently have a Camera installed in her room so you can keep an eye on what really goes on.
What you are told and shown can be totally different than what actually goes on.
Prayers.
There are also washable inco' briefs, which are padded and reinforced underwear. Their advantages are that: they are more economical to buy; they are ecologically more acceptable; they are made of ordinary fabric materials but with highly absorbent layers, so they feel more like standard panties to wear. Their disadvantages are that they won't cope as well with very high volumes/fecal issues as disposables do; and of course they can't be removed so easily; and of course although they can be laundered at high temperatures they're not actually going to be sterile.
Until your poor mother can be helped to get rid of her C diff, I should go for the disposable pull-ups - all of the big brands such as Tena and Depends make them, in various shapes and sizes. These won't stop her using the toilet as normal, when she's able to, because you can just pull them down like ordinary knickers, and if they're clean and dry there's no reason not to pull them straight up again once you're done.
Points to look for (if you're being picky) include properly made seams, a soft feel to the fabric, not too much excess "frill" fabric at leg holes and waistband, and an even stretch to the elasticated part. As in everything, do beware the false economy.
[Personal note: I am also very grateful to those manufacturers who make it clear which is the front and which is the back. Not all do! - and you feel a right numpty if you get it wrong and your poor client looks like she's wearing a codpiece... :/]
I would also like to suggest getting the 36 x 30 (some are a little bigger and some are a little smaller) disposable pads. If something soaks through, it is much easier to change a pad than the sheets on the bed (in the middle of the night) - as the rubber/plastic type mattress cover is below the sheet. There are different products available on Amazon for a reasonable rate. I like the one with the adhesive tape on the back. They lightly attach to the bottom sheet and don't move around as much as the ones without the adhesive.
I believe Medicare now covers the cost (we bought ours before Medicare approved), and cost of disposable wands are supposed to be covered soon.
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