3. Remind your loved one to use the restroom. Good times for such reminders are prior to leaving the house, prior to leaving a restaurant, prior to entering a movie theater and before leaving the theater. Additionally, you may also wish to remind the patient during activities. Of course, to preserve her or his dignity it is important to not make these reminders too obvious or loud enough for others to hear. As a variance, you may indicate that you need to use the restroom, even if you don’t, and request your loved one to accompany you.

4. Set up your loved one for success. While it is highly likely that she or he will have accidents at night, it should not mean that there would be copious clean up in the morning. Ensure that she or he is wearing adult briefs, and further purchase rubberized sheets and mattress under pads that will soak up any moisture, making clean up quick, easy, and discreet.

5. Last but not least, please be sure to preserve your loved one’s dignity with actions as well as words. Make light of accidents, and be supportive and loving. In addition to the foregoing, do not discuss her or his incontinence with mutual friends, family members or acquaintances unless their discretion can be relied upon completely.

As you can see, incontinence is indeed a problem that needs to be dealt with when caring for an Alzheimer’s patient; however, with a bit of finesse, it can be solved in such a manner as to provide maximum care for your loved one while at the same time not hurting her or his frail and failing sense of dignity.

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