My husband has Alzheimer's disease and I am his caretaker. He is in depends due to incontinence. I have to keep the lights off all night so that I hear him get up so that I can make sure he goes to the bathroom. However when he gets up in the early morning he is urinating everywhere. All over the carpets, the windows, the dog,etc.
I need suggestions. A caregiver's home suggested that I duck tape his depends on him so that he cannot do this. But it seems so mean. Please help.
Rather than duct tape perhaps a pair of suspenders. Crossing them in the back would make it a little more difficult to manage and might give you time to assist him. Duct tape is a bit rough on the elderly skin so I would definitely only use this on the depends itself to make the harder to get off. Anything that makes the depends harder to pull down would be effective. Bless you and bless the sprinkled dog. I do hope you find a solution and wish for you the patience and creativity to get through this phase of the disease.
God bless you for all you are doing for your husband.
I don't know an answer -- except that once my Mom got to the nursing home, there was no further trouble with her incontinence. It seems that they have ways of taking care of it -- maybe because they are on three shifts and someone is always awake and on duty.
Maybe it is time for you to consider that solution for your husband. It is so hard to be on 1 24/7 duty, day and night ....
Val---If he can't get to his depends...He can't pull them down and urinate in the 'wrong places'. You might consider looking at adaptive clothing that buttons and zips in the back?
Last edited by skericheri; 08-12-2008 at 07:02 AM.
Reason: amended to meet guidelines
Val,
I too was my husbands caregiver and experienced all sorts of issues I had to find solutions to. How far into the disease is he? Is it time to consider an alternative plan so you can find some peace? I liked the idea of clothing that clasps or zips up the back.
I do hope you find a solution and wish for you the patience and creativity to get through this phase of the disease.
