Mom uses a bedside commode and a bag with kitty litter. How long does it last before changing?

Writing as a semi-retired bedside nurse (for 40+ years) I have dealt with many incontinent youngsters and oldsters. Some tips/tricks come to mind:

a) Find a medical supplies company and/or catalog if you are new to being a caregiver.
Seek advice about what would best help your loved one . Let patient choose the odor of spray she likes best.

b) Skin care (elderly fragile thin skin starts faster breakdown if urine and stool remain on the skin any length of time) Preventing red areas of breakdown is MUCH easier than trying to heal them ; if untreated, the peri areas can develop very deep hole, infected bedsores that can lead to a deadly infection named sepsis, Zinc oxide barrier paste (desitin) as needed can be used after each skin clean up, (tip on mixing zinc oxide and body lotion in both your hands/gloves rubbed together makes thick skin ointments spread easily), Some of the sanitizer foams.(get brands to use is a question to ask your caregivers), Bed bound patients or even just for the night bed bound need turned /repositioned (sp) every 2 hours to prevent red areas that are the first sign of starting breakdown. Keep red areas from expanding by massaging with lotion to promote circulation. Take any red spots seriously. Wound clinics can do miracles but prevention is the first step.

c) Odor control - dealing with bathroom smells is a constant challenge. rinsing bedside commode (BSC) with diluted bleach or mouthwash and using lysol type air sanitizer( sp) spray help. I once smelled a BSC that had not be emptied for days and it smelled strong like spoiled fish, ugh, Some urine odor control measures are a) disposible chux blue or tan plastic pads, b) washable cotton bedpads (24 by 30 approx") adsorb the odors and last thru many washes. c) Pad person's favorite chairs or couches.

d) Need for help wiping skin and hands after using to commode, packed wipes or foam sprays are useful for this,

I hope this helps.

Final tricks - Use little bells to put at bedside or bathroom or anywhere so pt can call you without calling out. Like BSC's, bells are often available cheap at thrift stores). Another poster suggested kitty litter in the BSC,  I like the idea but it would have to be experimented. HOORAY for the aging care community!

My dad uses bedside for bowel movements. I use garbage bags in the bowl and just gather the drawstrings when done .I light candle for 10 minutes after.

A bit of water & a pinch of chlorox bowl cleaner. It's left in the commode bucket ready to go. Works wonderfully! No bad smells and easier to clean.

A bit of water & a pinch of chlorox bowl cleaner. It's left in the commode bucket ready to go. Works wonderfully! No bad smells and easier to clean.

I'm wondering if you have a splash guard, also i spotted liners online. Hopefully that could help?

i do not use kitty litter at all. i have a commode down and upstairs. when mom has bm i help her upstairs and she goes, other wise she uses the commodes one in her bedroom and one in living room. i empty them , her bedroom one, in am. i empty downstairs one afternoon and before retiring for the night. thank you all

My apologies. I looked for a way to delete my post but couldn't find one. I think my idea will not work. It's possible the idea might inspire an idea, but I'm uncomfortable with my comment. Again, I'm very sorry.

Ah! I tried to leave a message a minute ago and got an error. Funny how things work. Right after that, I tried to see if I was right, and found an interesting article on how to composting toilet. Someone bought a bedside commode from a thrift store, added 6 inches of mulch to the bottom of a 5 lb container, and put it under the commode. They literally turned this into outdoor compost, and from what they're saying, it doesn't stink! I really thought this could be an awesome thing, because the sick person can feel positive, knowing that they are giving back to the environment! And it might be easier for you, as well. (One extra thing, if you consider this, would be to buy Sunmar microbes mix, just to encourage the level of composting.)

I REALLY hope this helps.

never heard of using cat litter or the commode liners--learn all kind of new things on this site-thank you

Clumping types of kitty litter WILL clog the plumbing.

We have cat. I have tried just about every version of litter and some are very exspensive.
Arm & Hammer Clump and Seal Litter
This one works Clump and Seal and kills smell
I recommend:
7 Day Odor-Free Homes Guaranteed
Ultra Low Dust
it Is dusty to handle.
USE with liner and throw away in trash

Yesterday'S News Cat Litter
It is made with recycled newspaper and made into compressed pellets.
Very Very absorbent, pellets swell.
it is literally DUST-FREE
No fine litter all over the place to walk in
It is paper and flushable in VERY small amounts
It turns to mush in water. IMCO
important part cleaning is a fabulous product called ZERO ODOR
USE with liner and throw away in trash
People do flush it in small amounts, easier to dump in wastebasket with liner

i throw the bags in the big garbage bag and take it out to trash.

thank you everyone. i am disabled and hard for me to keep emptying commode each time. when i heard about the kitty litter it seems a good idea. i tried the carex commode liners however it only absorbs 2 quarts of urine. mom stated she will only use it downstairs now that she is on lasix. she won't use it at night as she goes to bathroom. on amazon which brand of commode liner is it. thank you and Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones. have a great happy healthful year for all of us. thank you

I was taught to put a little water in the commode so the poo does not stick, swirl and throw in toilet. I wiped it with bleach wipes. Once a week I bleached and hosed down.

Doesn't kitty litter eventually clog the plumbing?

I have to admit, I've never heard of using kitty litter in a bedside commode - I've always seen it just used, dumped in the toilet and washed out with bleach and hot water/soap. But I guess it's an interesting idea, because it would absorb liquid and odor.

I get my commode liners on Amazon and they are about 20 for 19.99.Mom only uses it at night and I change it every morning. The liner I use has a small absorbent pad at the bottom and I use enough kitty litter to cover that little pad and that is usually enough for one night.I get my kitty litter from walmart, there are several brands and just had to try different ones until I found one that I liked.With your elder on Lasix she is going to put out more urine than my mother who isn't on a diuretic so you may have to use more kitty litter, the goal is to have enough litter in the bucket so all the liquid is absorbed. It may take you several days to get the hang of it so cut yourself some slack,you will get used to how much urine your elder puts out.Now my mom doesn't have bm's in her commode,just uses it at nite for urinating so it will be up to you about how often you changed it out. For myself, I would definitely changed it out after a bm.As far as the toilet paper, use as much as it takes to get her clean. For bm's you might want to invest in some cheap washrags,got mine at walmart,use warm soapy water and clean away,then I wash them in the washing machine with bleach,(these are really cheap washrags)good luck!

how much litter do i put in the garbage bag each time. what about the toilet paper. thank you . please respond and thank you

Use a nice scented litter and change it after a bowel movement. On Lasix she will pee often and a lot, so when the litter looks wet, change it.
Actually, you don't need litter or liners at all, but it is up to you.