Functional incontinence is very prevalent amongst the elderly who suffer various other disabilities associated with their age. The common problems these age groups suffer are confusion, lack of mobility, poor eyesight, dementia, depression and poor dexterity. All these debilities hinder their quick journey to the bathroom. Even if they manage to reach the bathroom, loss of dexterity will delay the unbuttoning of clothes and similar actions needed to start voiding.
The solution to this problem is two pronged.
– Physiotherapy and exercises to improve the functional deficiencies are instituted. Mostly the effort is to manage the situation to lessen the problem of leaking of urine is to use diapers with enough absorption capacity.
– Another very useful procedure with geriatric patients is to insert a catheter and collect the urine in a bag. The choice is decided by the degree of disability.
Mixed incontinence on the other hand is a condition where the person suffers both stress and urge incontinence at the same time. Treatment includes remedying the causes of stress incontinence such as taking medication like anticholinergics to quieten the bladder.
Certain medical appliances are available for use to help overcome some of these problems.