Urinary Care

Bladder issues are common as one ages and occur because of changes in the bladder muscles over time. The weakening of the bladder muscles leads to urine being retained in the bladder, poor bladder emptying, and incontinence, which can lead to UTIs. These can disrupt daily life and are distressing. Pure home health care can assist with our Urinary Care program using a comprehensive assessment, nursing, and rehabilitative care. Our goal is to restore the patient’s health and confidence.

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence refers to the loss of bladder control. This is caused by control over the urinary sphincter being weakened or lost over time as well as a result of trauma or infection. 1 in 3 senior Americans are affected by incontinence. This condition is physically & emotionally disruptive. It is imperative to treat it in time to avoid physical & psychosocial barriers.

The various types of urine incontinence are:

Stress Incontinence – Physical exertion such as laughing and coughing can lead to abdominal pressure which can result in pressure on the bladder leading to urine leaking out. The word "stress" actually refers to the physical strain associated with the leakage.

Urge incontinence – Overactive bladders create a strong desire to urinate even if it is not full. This is often followed by loss of urine before the patient can reach a bathroom. Often there is no identifiable cause for overactive bladder, but the patient is more likely to develop the problem as they age.

Overflow incontinence - Overflow incontinence occurs when something blocks urine from flowing normally out of the bladder, such as prostate enlargement in men. It can also occur if the bladder muscle becomes underactive.

Pure home health care will coordinate care with the physician and seek appropriate medication for any of the incontinence conditions. The assessment by a nurse includes medical history, a physical examination, and urinalysis.

Urinary Tract Infections

UTI is a bacterial condition affecting any part of the urinary system such as the bladder, urethra, and kidneys. UTI is common among women with 1 in 2 women getting it at least once in their lifetime with chances of repeat infections high.

A urinalysis test is needed to confirm this problem. Urinary Tract Infection can lead to many complications such as:

• Increased falls.

• Fever, chills, malaise, and fatigue.

• Impaired mental ability.

• Loss of appetite.

• The activity of daily living impairment.

The Pure Home Health Care team is able to provide appropriate care in coordination with the physician. The team guides on how to prevent reoccurrence with pertinent tips.

Urinary Retention

Urinary retention refers to a condition when the bladder is not emptied of urine. It entails the inability to urinate or if the patient is able to start, emptying the bladder in one go does not occur. This condition is very painful and distressing to an individual. It should be addressed right away to avoid any serious medical complications. A straight catheter or catheter care is used to relieve the symptoms and care is followed as per physician’s orders.

Catheter care is available which includes a straight catheter, a catheter with a bag, frequent checks to ensure no UTI (Urinary Tract Infection), weaning off from catheter, bladder training, pelvic muscle exercises, scheduled toileting, habit training, urinary education and prompted voiding.

Why Pure Home Health Care?

• Our nurses and rehabilitative staff are competency tested and properly trained.

• Our staff provides compassionate care keeping in mind a patient’s dignity and fears related to urinary problems.

• Committed to preventing hospitalizations.

• Coordination of care with the referring physician.

• Emphasis on infection prevention and control.

• Maximizing abilities of daily living and independent mobility by therapies and custom exercise programs.

• Nutritional considerations & recommendations.

• Caregiver and patient education.

• Education on treatment options.

• Diary logs to monitor progress

• Bladder control tips and relaxation techniques.

Age-related bladder issues do not mean changing the quality of life. Pure Home Health Care addresses the needs of the patients using a number of treatment options that are available as well as comprehensive education.