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christmasbaby Asked October 2018

For a woman that can't walk or even stand, which is better, an adult diaper or a pull-on such as Depends?

Grandma1954 Oct 2018
First, I do not like the term "adult diaper" I always said Tab Brief so that will be the term I use to answer this.

If a person must rely on someone else to get them to the bathroom and help them pull down pants, pull down a "pull up" type brief then a tab type brief is easier.
If you are in any bathroom particularly a public bathroom in order to aid someone that is toileting you need to pull down pants, remove the "pull up" brief, once they are done you have to remove the pants and possibly the shoes they are wearing put on the "pull up" brief, put the pants back on, put the shoes back on then get them up and steady then pull up the "pull up", pull up the pants.

With the Tab type to aid someone that is toileting you pull down the pants, remove the tab type brief, when they are done stand up, put on the tab type brief, pull up the pants and you are done.

By the way, and this going to sound crazy but here goes.... While my Husband was still mobile I put the tab type on him backwards. There is a good reason to doing this.
I would open up the sides of the brief and place it between the legs bringing it up as far as I could then I would bring the tabs around and fasten one side then the other. By doing this backwards I was using his body resistance to get the tabs as tight as possible so it would fit tighter with less gaps. It did not have the look of a saggy loose brief and it seemed to me that it would feel more comfortable than one that gaped and sagged.
Once he could no longer stand and I was changing him in bed I used them the "normal" way and the tabs would fasten in the front.

cetude Oct 2018
Do not use diapers for the bedridden. Just use chux bed pads to protect the bed. Using diapers of any kind for the bedridden is dangerous because feces will more likely cause a UTI. I never could understand why people use diapers for bedridden people. Makes no sense whatsoever. Chuxs also make it easier to clean them. and you know immediately if they need cleaning.

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needtowashhair Oct 2018
If they can't even stand, putting on pull ups will be a nightmare.

My people can still stand so pull ups are best for me.

1) Stand them up.
2) Pull down the pants and diaper to knee height.
3) Sit them down.
4) Pull off shoes, pants and then diaper.
5) Put on diaper, pants and shoes to knee height.
6) Stand them up.
7) Pull it all up.
8) Sit them back down.

Only takes 1-2 minutes for me to do it. 1-2 hours to convince them to let me do it.
foxxmolder Oct 2018
I found a way to take off and put on a dirty/clean Depends without taking off their pants and shoes! This is especially good news when in a public bathroom and the floor is gross to have to take everything off. Bear with me, most say "that can't be done" without taking everything off and putting all clean stuff back on, but it can!
1) Rip old pad (depends) off the person, at the side it rips so it can come off without having to go down to the floor with it. I agree that diaper is demeaning so Mom and I call the Depends.....PAD.
2) Now Mom is naked except for pants, socks and sneakers all down at her ankles.
3) You will now do ONE AT A TIME foot to put on her new pad.
4) Put the first half of the pad over her left foot and pull the pad through over her sneaker, sock and pants. (It is easy if you make sure Mom/Dad is wearing loose sweat pants or something like it.........Don't try this with tight jeans, TOO HARD.
5) Now one half of the pad is on one leg, pulled through her pants and on top of her sneakers, socks and pants. Now comes the harder part, but well worth it after you get the hang of it doing it 10 or 20 times.
6) You are going to take the other half of the pad and push it down the right leg and over the right sneaker. Make sure as you pull it over the right sneaker it does not "twist" and come up her legs "backwards". Then pull the pad up, her pants up and WA-LAA, you have successfully changed a person without having to take off/put back on their pants and sneakers!
7) Pass this "trick" onto your friends with toddlers with pull ups, works the same way. Remember, LOOSE pants, NOT jeans.
Countrymouse Oct 2018
Er...

Unless the lady is also incontinent, then the ideal is an assisted transfer to a bedpan or commode. The slings used for this purpose are designed to allow for toileting.

But assuming that some sort of continence protection is necessary, I'd have thought a diaper would be easier to change than a pull-on, which would also make it more comfortable for the woman (less tugging about).

Why not have a look at some of the product websites and see what would meet her needs best? You might be surprised at the huge range of shapes, sizes and absorbencies on the market.

TouchMatters Oct 2018
What people are referring to as an Adult Diaper may be what I've seen CNA (certified nurses assistants) 'ripe off' as necessary or if necessary vs taking one's time with the tabs. Definitely use the PROTECTIVE BED PADS. They come in disposable and washable. I would recommend getting the large washable and putting 1-2 disposable on top of that, if necessary. You want to avoid having to launder real bedding as much as possible.

I do not ever use the word 'diaper' in talking to an adult.
I call them disposable underwear. That is what they are - and supports personal dignity as one ages.

You absolutely want to have a good waterproof mattress bed protector.
That is a given. Actually, you can't have too many layers of soil protection. Heed our suggestions - better than learning the hard way. . . We did that for you. Gena.

Katie22 Oct 2018
The tab briefs would be much easier than the pull ups. If a person is bedridden the tab briefs can be put underneath them and the person rolled one way, then the other to get the brief under them, then fasten them.

KellyOrtega Oct 2018
Pull ups are best for people who are still able to stand up. Briefs with tabs are best for people who require lifting or turning. Also I always recommend using inserts no matter what kind of undies are being worn. Like a pad, it absorbs right away and keeps fluid off the skin. Briefs or pull ups alone do not do that and can leave urine to sit on the skin and cause irritation. Also it can be much easier to change a pad when it is soaked as opposed to changing undies and pants and having to do skin care over and over. Inserts are a life saver.
As far as industry terminology goes, diapers are for babies and we avoid this terminology to keep from embarrassing people. Adults use briefs or pull ups. At least here in the south. I know these things are different in other areas.

jolobo Oct 2018
I didn't find the pull ups to be enough for nighttime use, so it was always the ones with tabs and the washable bed pad. I don't know how you could get the pullups on someone who is bedridden.
cwillie Oct 2018
I got them on the same way as I got on her cozy pyjama bottoms, roll left and pull up the right, roll right and pull up the left, but by then mom was a pretty small woman. Now that she is in a NH she has to wear a gown at night and open backed pants during the day because the aides can't figure that out.
RayLinStephens Oct 2018
If she cannot stand, you don't want pull-ups. You will need the one with tabs.

And I always kept a washable pad under my DH - even on the chairs. Better safe than sorry. I was less worried about the mess and more worried about the added stress to my husband. This way he didn't worry about accidents.

BlueEcho1 Oct 2018
You definitely want the diapers (with the tabs), not the pull ups/briefs. You'll want to buy liners (the inserts) that go inside the diaper to soak up the extra pee. Finally, you'll need to buy "chucks," which are the disposable sheets you put on top of the cloth bed sheets, to further keep the pea and poop off of the bed, which will leak out of the diaper anyway. The chucks come in a couple different sizes, I think ours are 30" by 30."
jczac44 Oct 2018
Where did you find the inserts? With Mom taking Lasix, she is often wet causing bed sores & raw rashes. Do they stick to the tab type?
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