Toileting
Observe | Incontinence | Urinary Incontinence | Bowel Incontinence | Toilet Guardrails | Elevated Toilet Seat | Commode Chair | Hand-held Urinal | Bedpan

All Toileting Tips

Watch how your mom and dad use the bathroom.

• Are they having difficulty just getting to the toilet?
• Are they having trouble getting up and down from the seat?
• Do they reach for a nearby towel rod that isn't designed to take such a load?
• Are they incontinent?
• Do they have trouble with their clothing?
• Do they forget what to do once in the bathroom?

Incontinence.

To avoid serious skin problems, daily bathing and a regular change of clothes are essential. Keep skin clean and use lotions and powders (or cornstarch) to protect the skin.

Learn to recognize the nonverbal cues a person gives about needing to go to the toilet, and respond to them quickly.

Schedule frequent visits to the toilet.

Look for a pattern of where/when accidents happen.

Make sure clothes are easy to get on and off.

Provide adequate lighting to and in the bathroom.

Use a protective pad on the bed at night. (Read Juanita's story about how she helped her mom with nighttime incontinence.)

Put a commode next to the bed at night.

Urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence is common in women. Products available include:

• Disposable inserts (they resemble a sanitary napkin or mini pad) worn inside your underwear.
• Reusable, washable cloth liners or pads that are held in place by waterproof pants.
• Adult disposable diapers.
• Reusable incontinence undergarments that resemble normal underwear but have the absorbency of disposable diapers.
• Washable, adult cloth diapers or contoured cloth diapers with a plastic cover.
• Waterproof outer pants made of nylon, vinyl or rubber, worn over undergarments as an additional level of protection.

Men may find that a drip collector may be sufficient. A drip collector is a small pocket of absorbent padding with a waterproof back side. The drip collector is worn over the penis and is held in place by close fitting underwear.

Men can also use a condom catheter device. This product is placed over the penis similar to a condom. It has a tube on the end and connects with a collection bag tied to the leg. This device can handle small or large volumes of urine with little odor, minimal skin irritation, and easy use.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, all types of urinary incontinence can be treated and at any age.

Bowel incontinence.

Bowel or fecal incontinence is the loss of normal control of the bowels. It is more common in women and in the elderly of both sexes.

Many effective treatments for fecal incontinence are available.

Make sure the bowel incontinence is not due to fecal impaction or drug side effects.

It is possible to manage bowel incontinence by monitoring diet.

Learn a person’s bowel regimen and lengthen toileting at that time.

Toilet Guardrails.

Toilet guardrails are attached to the commode at the same place the toilet seat is attached, or to the walls or floor on both sides of the toilet.

Sometimes handrails or grab bars are also installed to give the person something to grasp onto as he/she sits down on or gets up from the toilet.

Elevated Toilet Seat.

This is a plastic seat that sits on top of the existing toilet seat. It adds 3 to 6 inches to the height of the toilet seat depending on the style chosen.

The extra height makes it easier to get on and off the toilet.

Some styles have handles built directly on them so that additional guardrails are unnecessary.

Keep the toilet seat clean using any bathroom cleaner.

Using a commode chair.

A commode chair is like a chair with a toilet seat attached and is very useful for people who can't get to the toilet quickly or easily enough.

The commode chair should be sturdy and have arms for the person to use when standing up.

Most bedside commodes are adjustable as to height. Some have collapsible arms that help when transferring someone who is unable to stand or is wheelchair bound.

The commode chair can be used at night next to the bed, or to wheel the user to the toilet area.

Get a hand-held urinal for your dad.

This is a hand-held, plastic container, about 12 inches long, usually with a handle.

Handy for nighttime so your dad doesn't have to get up to go to the bathroom.

It can be used by men whether standing, sitting, or lying down.

Bedpan.

A bedpan goes under the hips of a person to collect urine or stool. It is most often used while the person is in bed but can be used while he or she is seated in a chair.

Bedpans are often used by women who are unable to use a bathroom toilet or a bedside commode.