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My Aunt had dementia for 12+ years and died from complications from a broken hip at almost 101. She was hardly bowel incontinent when she passed, ususally was able to tell you she needed to be walked to the toilet to have a BM.

I don't think there's any correlation between when bowel incontinence starts and when someone passes from dementia or other age-related issues.
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Reply to Geaton777
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Go ahead and search for a study. I will be surprised if you will find info. Based on my experience with 3 family members, you will be able to know when death is near when there is measurable weight loss, poor eating and poor drinking. Remember that many with dementia die from their other health issues.. otherwise, life expectancy with dementia can last 10 to 18 years.

On a personal experience, 2 of them went on for 5 plus years with incontinence
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Reply to MACinCT
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I'm not sure that there's a correlation between bowel incontinence and end of life with someone with any of the dementias, as it is just one more thing that your mothers broken brain is forgetting to do and can no longer handle.
Might be time to get her placed in memory care if she's not already there.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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Igloocar May 13, 2024
Bowel incontinence may have little to do with a "broken brain's" forgetting. It may have to do with spinal cord issues, for example. As others have said, fecal incontinence normally would not be used to indicate approaching death!
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If you’re wondering about caregiving someone yourself after they become bowel incontinent - IMO, that’s when they need to be in a facility where they can get professional care.
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AlzJourney May 11, 2024
My husband has bowel incontinence and a catheter placed... Changing his diapers and bathing him 4-6 times a day, he gets my love a facility wouldn't do this as well as I do., in my experiences with Facilities. I Don't want him laying in dirty diapers. Period,,,!
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There is nothing average about dementia.
Every case is as individual as the person's own fingerprint.
Bowel incontinence and urine incontinence has more to do with the portion of the brain affected, the health of the sphincter of the individual, the diet, even whether the individual has back pain (believe it or not) than it does with the dementia itself.

Again, your MD is the best person to give prognosis. Not a Forum. The MD knows the individual and any person comes with his or her own medical history.
Wishing you the best.
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AlzJourney May 11, 2024
This is a platform for others experiences, many Doctors don't have a clue, since everyone is different.
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I found incontinence can happen for many reasons, (diet, medications, dehydration). My mom had issues long before she lost her memory.
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Marcia22 May 12, 2024
Really, they can be dehdrated? The last couple of days, my dad had accidents. It's a lot on me!
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More reliable signs that someone's body is shutting down are excessive sleeping, not eating and not drinking. However, even they could be caused by other health issues.

Bowel incontinence could be a sign that the body is failing, or it could be that there is pressure on the sciatic nerve, or a different medical problem.

Speak to the doctor and look into what other help you can access.
It could be time that you have your mother placed in care and others take over the day to day duties.
Don't risk your own health.
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Reply to MiaMoor
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My mother in law had dementia and was on Aricept ... and it was determined that the Aricept was causing her to have diarrhea - and incidents with incontinence. The time of day at which the medication is taken makes a difference also.
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Reply to sarius
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GiGigrl: Therein lies nothing "average" about dementia; each individual is different.
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Reply to Llamalover47
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Incontinence is not an indicator of impending death. Something else may be going on. Talk to your loved one's doctor about this problem so the doctor can evaluate and treat.
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