My husband has had dementia for many years, but never had a bed wetting problem until he started taking Seroquel three weeks ago. I'll take a wet bed over terrifying delusions, but I'd love some practical advice on how to handle this. We have a king sized bed, so changing sheets in the middle of the night is a huge hassle. I have one of those disposable pads under the sheet, but on top of the mattress pad. Should I put the pad on top of the sheet? If so, how do I keep it from sliding around while he sleeps? He wears CVS disposable underwear, but they're not tight enough around the legs to prevent leaking. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
If you choose to continue sleeping together in the king sized bed, buy large washable underpads like these from Vitality Medical:
https://www.vitalitymedical.com/reusable-underpad-plaidbex-bed-pad-by-beck.html
Put the pad on top of the sheet, so you don't have to change the sheet in the middle of the night. Those pads are resistant to leaks, but not entirely waterproof. Eventually, fluid will seep through the moisture barrier backing. I use two - on on top of the other. Then, I place one or two disposable pads on top of the washable. They do make larger size washable pads, such as 48" or 72" in length, for more coverage.
Disposable pull-up underwear does not hold up to overnight incontinence. Try upgrading to tabbed diapers. Even then, it is hard to get a good fit around the legs, and leaks are almost inevitable.
For mattress protectors, they are sold at Walmart. Since liquids don't soak through, you might be able to spray a product and wipe where he wet so as not to wash every day
He may be sleeping so deeply that he does not get the body signal that he should get up.
That said incontinence happens with dementia so it is not unusual. this may be the start of your "new normal"
Get a waterproof mattress cover. And yes you will get hot!
Place the waterproof mattress pad on.
Make the bed as you normally do.
Place an absorbent pad on the fitted sheet, he will lay on it.
That absorbent pad should get any leaks from the disposable brief.
If your husband has many skin folds urine may still leak by traveling along the skin folds so you might want to also try an absorbent pad that is designed to be placed in the incontinence underwear.
I got a great absorbent pad through Costco made by a company called CONNI the pad is as wide as a twin bed and it will absorb over a gallon.!
Disposable pads are nice but reusable ones absorb more and are less expensive in the long run.
He often would still be wet including his pj bottoms, but all I then had to do was change his Depend, his pj bottoms and the very top chux, leaving the other pads in place. My husband didn't move a whole lot over night however though, so that may be the difference.
You may have to get your husband up several times over night to take him to the bathroom to pee as well if you plan on keeping him home.
However incontinence is often the straw that will break the camels back.
https://www.agingcare.com/products/quilted-bed-pad-204739.htm
And it might be time to consider a different arrangement for sleeping, two twin mattresses should = a king size one so you could still be together but each have different bedding.