Memory loss in elderly people and becoming forgetful
Is the elderly person you care for becoming forgetful – maybe even confused and unreasonable? If your loved one is affected by age related memory loss and , there are several ways you can support them.
To help you care for your loved one, it’s important to understand their overall mental and physical health. There are several medical reasons that an elderly person may become incontinent, from UTIs to taking certain medications and many others. Below we will focus on the mental health aspect of aging and incontinence.
Depending on your loved ones health and how aware they are of their situation, caregiving can be challenging. Memory loss can be caused by mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but in some cases it can be due to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Whatever the cause of their forgetfulness, their ability to go to the toilet when needed may be affected.
In some cases you might need support with caregiving, in particular for manual care such as cleansing them, changing their clothes, toileting and keeping them comfortable. If you need more information, see our hygiene guide for carers.
Forgetfulness and memory loss in old age can impact a person in many ways. Below are some tips on how you can help a loved one with incontinence when they are struggling to think or express themselves clearly.
Forgetfulness in seniors and incontinence: how to help
Spotting the signs they need the toilet
The person you’re caring for may show some signs of wanting to visit the toilet, but these can be hard to recognise. Some examples of behaviour to look out for includes:
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Fidgeting
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Pulling at clothing or bedding
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Standing up and down
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Pacing
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Making unusual sounds
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Making unusual expressions
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Sudden silence
Try to watch them closely and pay attention to signs of agitation or discomfort. Become familiar with their behaviour so you can recognise when they need help.
Form regular habits
It’s important to be prepared for when your loved one starts to struggle with toileting. To achieve this, try to encourage them to form regular toileting habits. By recognising when they need to go, you’ll help to preserve their self-esteem by assisting them before an accident occurs. This will also help keep them calm, comfortable, and make caregiving easier.
Plan ahead with incontinence products
Keeping the right products on hand will help make your caregiving much simpler. If you’re well prepared, it will be easier for you and your loved one to stay clean and comfortable and will also preserve dignity. Having an kit with incontinence products, wipes, sealable bags, and an extra change of clothes will make it possible for you assist your loved one whenever and wherever necessary. If you’re planning to take your loved one out for the day, remember to plan toilet breaks and ensure there are suitable facilities they can use, or where you’d be able to clean and change them if necessary.
Provide assistance
If your loved one has a more advanced form of incontinence, you can help them when they need to use the toilet. Encourage them to go to the bathroom with your support. Do an assessment and try to find out the best times to do this. When these times are identified, stick to the plan and accompany them to the toilet at the same times each day. This will support them to form regular habits and potentially reduce incontinence episodes.
Caring for incontinence and memory loss in old age can be a challenge, but there is help available if you need it. You may want to find more information about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease or read our article about other effects of ageing and incontinence.
Sources:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/memory-loss-and-forgetfulness/memory-problems-forgetfulness-and-aging
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/memory-loss-and-forgetfulness/what-mild-cognitive-impairment
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/in-depth/memory-loss/art-20046326
