My mother-in-law has urinary problems. She wears Depends. She also has glaucoma. The smell of her depends is gagging me. What to do?

When I worked with a client that wore depends, the first thing I would when I would come in for my shift would be to empty her depends trash can and empty the potty chair. She would argue at first, but I told her your house is going to smell if I don't take this out.

There is no way I would want to work around someone with urine/feces soaked smelling household. No, you will not get used to smelling filth and the smell itself can cause nausea, and respiratory illnesses. We are hired to do a job.

Like another member said, you have to take charge of the situation.

In my personal opinion, depends don't go in the house garbage. They get put in a grocery bag or other small plastic bag, tied up and put outside.

Keeping dirty diapers in a house trash is going to create gross smells.

I had to deal with my dads on a daily basis, he wouldn't and I was less put out with taking the trash out then having the environment smell. I always used a bag in the trash can and emptied it when he put a dirty in.

This is one of the less pleasant aspects of caregiving.

There is a spray called Poopfh available from Amazon and the manufacturer which when sprayed directly on the solid or liquid excrement neutralizes the odor. My aides like the old-fashioned room spray because it has a fragrance and says its disinfectant bur the poopfh really works. It is expensive about
$26 for a large bottle but worth it

This is often the turning point when families can no longer care for a loved one at home. Time to find a care facility where she can be cared for 24/7 by professionals.

Foul urine odor is a sign of a urinary tract infection. She needs to be taken to the doctor for a urine sample to be sent out and cultured/tested. I agree with Fawnby that incontinence is often the straw that breaks the caregiving camel's back.

I do remember as my grandmother aged and was in Assisted Living and then Memory Care, getting her to wear adult diapers or Depends was difficult even for the staff.

As we all gathered to celebrate her 100th birthday the staff tried to get her to wear a Depends or adult diaper. She refused. Never once did anyone suggest, "You don't want to embarrass yourself while you're out"? I finally stepped in and asked her the very question and if she would like me to help. She did. I took a few with us, and took the initiative to check her throughout the afternoon and she had a wonderful time. Have you made a suggestion to your MIL? Perhaps she's really not aware. Her sense of smell may be impaired. Talk with her doctor.

I recommend a plastic bag you securely close after placing each used underwear into it or even better is a trash can with a lid. Put something aromatic in (I used pine sol) with a fresh plastic liner and discard into the outside trash often. Frequently I would put pine sol in the trash can, fill it with water and let it set a few minutes when I changed the bag.

Blondie60: The malodor could be a sign of a U.T.I. She needs to be seen by a urologist for an antibiotic if that is the case after a complete urinalysis is performed.

You can obtain a diaper like container with a tight fitting lid.

Your message sounds like you are reasonably exasperated. if you choose to keep her at home, get help. (Showering help makes everything better).

As others write here, take out each and every diaper immediately. Diaper Genies temporarily hide, but ultimately increase the problem which is only left to fester,

This was one of the hardest parts of caretaking for me (both with babies and adults).

Although it may seem endless, this time together won’t last forever.

I used a diaper pail for my parents lined with a grocery store bag. Twice a day we tied it up and tossed the little bags into a large trash can in the garage lined with a heavy duty trash bag. When full it gets tied and goes out with the trash.