Tape them. I know if sounds bad, but it works. I would tape it around at the highest point, and go around three times and leave a little folded notch in the back so i could quickly release it later. Also, i used to put my mom in zippered adult(onessies) PJ's, but with the zipper to the back..she could never reach the zipper! The anti strip clothing for dementia is too expensive and cheaply made, you can get adult zippered PJ's at Walmart or Amazon.
Maybe try putting regular underwear over them . If that doesn’t work , they do have clothing , big onesies for adults with Alzheimer’s . I saw some onesie pjs on Amazon . Just type in “ onesies for adults with Alzheimer’s “.
Hi, we have tried putting normal underwear over it but she still does it. Onesies won't work as she manages to undress. Giving her less to drink in the second half of the day is another thing we tried.
My sister and i share the care of mum. With my sister doing the lion share and me stepping in when she needs a break. I try and bring mum over for 3-4 months at a time, I live in another country and have to fly over to bring mum to me (1hr flight, visa restrictions). The reason I am mentioning this is, mum does much better in regards to incontinence when with me. As soon as she goes back to my sister, she goes back to wetting/soiling the bed. Mum by herself gets up to go the loo at night but either does nothing (sleeps on the loo), does her business without wiping herself nor flushing OR just does her business in bed. you can never assume with her.
I tried taking her to the loo 3-4 times at night, which helped me to keep the bed clean, but my sister can't keep up with interrupted sleep longterm. And mum seems to sense that she "can" get away with this when with my sister.
I feel helpless when my sister tells me what mum has done.
My mom used to do that especially when her routine was disrupted or a new caregiver. Instead of diaper, put reusable bed pad, and disposable bed pad on top of it. Hope this will help
You can tape the diaper. I have tried that, and it is a little cumbersome for me. I use washable bed pads with a disposable pad on top. Or, in my case, since my husband can not get up out of bed on his own, I like to use two pads. When the top one is soiled, I can just roll it up and dispose of it, and there is still a clean dry pad under him. Sometimes, I leave the diaper off, as I know he will remove it anyway, and let him pee on the disposable pad.
Habibah: Obtain anti strip clothing. Of concern is that she "falls asleep on the loo," aka toilet. This could be deemed a fall risk if she rises up off the toilet and then tries to be mobile in sleep mode.
They make a cotton panty with a pocket for a disposable heavy duty bladder pad will fit.Sometimes they just don't like the feel of the diaper against the skin.
Here is a copy paste of what I had to say in my book "Dementia Care Companion" about this problem. I hope it helps.
Incontinence Overnight Incontinence is especially stressful at night, as it disturbs the patient’s and the caregiver’s sleep. You can make the experience less stressful by planning ahead to make the process of changing sheets, clothes, and underpads streamlined and easier.
Plan Ahead With the right precautions in place, nighttime incontinence episodes are usually handled quickly, often by simply changing the patient’s pajamas and underpads. · Cover the patient’s mattress with a waterproof mattress cover. · For added protection, put a large underpad under the bed sheet, and another one over the bed sheet. · When putting the patient to bed, roll up the back of their pajama top above their hips so if the underpad gets wet, their pajama top remains dry. · Keep all the necessary supplies in the patient’s bedroom for easy access. You’ll need spare pajamas, underpads, sheets, a wastebasket, latex gloves, baby wipes, and paper towels. · In case of fecal incontinence, wear two latex gloves on each hand. After the initial wiping, discard the outer gloves to prevent contaminating clean items. With the outer gloves discarded, you still have a pair of clean gloves on to complete the cleaning process.
Use Appropriate Sleepwear My dad is incontinent. During the day, my mom takes him to the bathroom at regular intervals. At night, he wears diapers and pajamas to bed, but we find him naked and totally wet in the morning.
Nighttime can be especially confusing for the patient. They may wake up feeling the need to go to the bathroom and may even manage to undress in time, only to forget what to do next. Or, they may think that they are already in the bathroom and relieve themselves in bed. · Early on, convenient sleepwear such as loose-fitting T-shirt and pull-up pants can help simplify bathroom visits at night. Over time, additional measures such as incontinence pads and shorts, or adult diapers will become necessary. · Eventually, simple pajamas or pull-up pants may become impractical because the patient may keep removing them. If so, have the patient wear a one-piece sleepwear, or union suit, so they cannot undress easily at night.
Watch for Signs of Discomfort My father wears a one-piece jump-suit to bed, but somehow still manages to pull out his diaper in the middle of the night.
Wearing a diaper for long hours can get uncomfortable. The patient may feel hot in the diaper, or may have skin rash or other irritation. Other potential causes of discomfort include constipation, urinary tract infection, or enlarged prostate. Approach behavioral issues by trying to discover and eliminate the root causes of the problem. · Does the diaper get hot at night? · Does the patient’s skin show signs of irritation, rash, scratches, or insect bites? · Is the patient constipated? The associated feeling that they need to go to the bathroom can make the patient try to undress. · Does the patient have urinary tract infection? UTI is associated with burning sensation and frequent urination. · Does the patient suffer from an enlarged prostate? An enlarged prostate does not allow the bladder to empty completely, leaving the patient with a persistent feeling that they need to go to the bathroom. Behavioral issues are often clues to underlying discomfort. Approach them as opportunities to identify and resolve the pain that the patient may be suffering in silence. Stay vigilant to notice them at first sign, and spring into action to relieve the patient’s discomfort quickly and effectively.
https://www.silverts.com/shop-by-need/dementia-clothing
Good Luck
If that doesn’t work , they do have clothing , big onesies for adults with Alzheimer’s . I saw some onesie pjs on Amazon . Just type in “ onesies for adults with Alzheimer’s “.
To remove the duct tape safely, get a pair or rounded-point bandage scissors and cut it.
Or you can put a pair of mitts on her so she can't tear at the diaper.
My sister and i share the care of mum. With my sister doing the lion share and me stepping in when she needs a break. I try and bring mum over for 3-4 months at a time, I live in another country and have to fly over to bring mum to me (1hr flight, visa restrictions).
The reason I am mentioning this is, mum does much better in regards to incontinence when with me. As soon as she goes back to my sister, she goes back to wetting/soiling the bed. Mum by herself gets up to go the loo at night but either does nothing (sleeps on the loo), does her business without wiping herself nor flushing OR just does her business in bed. you can never assume with her.
I tried taking her to the loo 3-4 times at night, which helped me to keep the bed clean, but my sister can't keep up with interrupted sleep longterm.
And mum seems to sense that she "can" get away with this when with my sister.
I feel helpless when my sister tells me what mum has done.
I use washable bed pads with a disposable pad on top. Or, in my case, since my husband can not get up out of bed on his own, I like to use two pads. When the top one is soiled, I can just roll it up and dispose of it, and there is still a clean dry pad under him.
Sometimes, I leave the diaper off, as I know he will remove it anyway, and let him pee on the disposable pad.
Incontinence Overnight
Incontinence is especially stressful at night, as it disturbs the patient’s and the caregiver’s sleep. You can make the experience less stressful by planning ahead to make the process of changing sheets, clothes, and underpads streamlined and easier.
Plan Ahead
With the right precautions in place, nighttime incontinence episodes are usually handled quickly, often by simply changing the patient’s pajamas and underpads.
· Cover the patient’s mattress with a waterproof mattress cover.
· For added protection, put a large underpad under the bed sheet, and another one over the bed sheet.
· When putting the patient to bed, roll up the back of their pajama top above their hips so if the underpad gets wet, their pajama top remains dry.
· Keep all the necessary supplies in the patient’s bedroom for easy access. You’ll need spare pajamas, underpads, sheets, a wastebasket, latex gloves, baby wipes, and paper towels.
· In case of fecal incontinence, wear two latex gloves on each hand. After the initial wiping, discard the outer gloves to prevent contaminating clean items. With the outer gloves discarded, you still have a pair of clean gloves on to complete the cleaning process.
Use Appropriate Sleepwear
My dad is incontinent. During the day, my mom takes him to the bathroom at regular intervals. At night, he wears diapers and pajamas to bed, but we find him naked and totally wet in the morning.
Nighttime can be especially confusing for the patient. They may wake up feeling the need to go to the bathroom and may even manage to undress in time, only to forget what to do next. Or, they may think that they are already in the bathroom and relieve themselves in bed.
· Early on, convenient sleepwear such as loose-fitting T-shirt and pull-up pants can help simplify bathroom visits at night. Over time, additional measures such as incontinence pads and shorts, or adult diapers will become necessary.
· Eventually, simple pajamas or pull-up pants may become impractical because the patient may keep removing them. If so, have the patient wear a one-piece sleepwear, or union suit, so they cannot undress easily at night.
Watch for Signs of Discomfort
My father wears a one-piece jump-suit to bed, but somehow still manages to pull out his diaper in the middle of the night.
Wearing a diaper for long hours can get uncomfortable. The patient may feel hot in the diaper, or may have skin rash or other irritation. Other potential causes of discomfort include constipation, urinary tract infection, or enlarged prostate.
Approach behavioral issues by trying to discover and eliminate the root causes of the problem.
· Does the diaper get hot at night?
· Does the patient’s skin show signs of irritation, rash, scratches, or insect bites?
· Is the patient constipated? The associated feeling that they need to go to the bathroom can make the patient try to undress.
· Does the patient have urinary tract infection? UTI is associated with burning sensation and frequent urination.
· Does the patient suffer from an enlarged prostate? An enlarged prostate does not allow the bladder to empty completely, leaving the patient with a persistent feeling that they need to go to the bathroom.
Behavioral issues are often clues to underlying discomfort. Approach them as opportunities to identify and resolve the pain that the patient may be suffering in silence. Stay vigilant to notice them at first sign, and spring into action to relieve the patient’s discomfort quickly and effectively.
See All Answers