Urinary Incontinence

Rebecca Rogers, MD

My mom lives by herself and is having trouble getting to the bathroom fast enough. How can I keep her independent?

You are right to be concerned about your mom’s incontinence. Elderly women with incontinence have an increased risk of falls which can be life threatening. In addition, incontinence is one of the reasons that elderly women lose their independence and are placed in nursing homes.

A first positive step is to talk to your mom about the problem and whether or not she would like to have treatment. Because she is rushing to the bathroom, your mom’s problem sounds as though it is consistent with urge incontinence. Simple problems like a urinary tract infection can cause incontinence and should be tested for at a doctor’s appointment. Treatment of the infection can resolve symptoms. Since urge incontinence is responsive to Kegel exercises and bladder retraining, these interventions may also be helpful. Finally, medications can also help to control bladder urges.

For elderly patients with limited mobility, a bedside commode may be helpful, particularly at night when the bathroom is far away. Ensuring that clothing is easy to remove can also help to avoid accidents.

Rebecca Rogers, M.D.
Director, Division of Urogynecology
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
American Urogynecological Society
National Association for Continence