Today we are talking about urinary leakage in older adults! Urinary leakage can happen at any age whether it is with sneezing, coughing, laughing, jumping, or on the way to the bathroom. Of course this is unwanted and annoying at any stage of life. However, there are even more risks involved when it comes to the older adult. These risks can include falls, nursing home admissions, and infection: 

Falls:

falls can occur as a result of incontinence (unwanted loss of urine or feces). This is especially true when someone is rushing to the bathroom because they are afraid they cannot make it in time. If someone has a walker or a cane, rushing can increase the chance of tripping over the assistive device or having the device get caught up on a rug.

Alternatively, someone may be rushing to try and unbutton their pants but their fingers are stiff due to arthritis. These obstacles can lead to a fall which can lead to a hospital stay and exponentially more health problems. 

Nursing home admissions:

After just talking about falls, we can see how a fall could lead to injuries where someone might have to stay at a nursing home for a short period of time, hopefully which does not turn into a long period of time. But additionally, even without the fall, someone can be admitted to a nursing home for incontinence.

We call this a “social admission” where someone’s family does not have the means or want to take care of their older family member. Especially if someone is not very mobile, family members will have to change the older adult’s undergarments, bedding, and keep their body clean. 

Infection:

When someone leaks, their skin gets wet. The skin of an older adult is more fragile and can break down more easily compared to a younger person. If the person remains soiled for hours at a time, this skin breakdown is susceptible to infection leading to even worse problems. 

In Closing: Leakage and Older Adult

As outlined above, a simple bit of leakage can really compile into a lot more concerns. In order to keep older adults safe, it is best they solve their leakage problem as early as possible. The best way to solve the problem of leakage is through pelvic floor physical therapy. If you have leakage and are ready to solve your problem, reach out to us and speak with one of our Maryland pelvic floor physical therapists today!