Urinary tract infections, commonly called UTIs, can create pain and a variety of serious problems for your aging adult. Preventing a UTI is always better than having to fight one once it takes hold.Talk to Her Doctor about Specific Preventive Measures
Every person is an individual and that means that everyone has specific health conditions that can make them more likely to experience a UTI. Talk with your elderly family member's doctor about what you might want to look for in particular when it comes to your senior. There may be differences in her symptoms due to underlying health conditions or due to medications that she takes. Understanding what makes your elderly family member unique can help you spot trouble much faster.
Encourage Her to Drink Plenty of Water
Start tracking how much water or other fluids your aging family member is drinking and encourage her to drink a little bit more every day. Doing this gradually helps to keep her from feeling overwhelmed about suddenly drinking a lot more water than she usually does. Keep in mind that fluids beyond water can help, too. Broth-based soups, juice with reduced sugar content, and herbal teas are really great sources of hydration if your senior doesn't enjoy drinking water alone.
Take Frequent Bathroom Trips
Frequent bathroom trips can help your elderly family member to empty out her bladder more often and hopefully flush potentially harmful bacteria. Set up a schedule for your senior and encourage her to stick to it. Don't forget to let people who help your senior, such as elder care providers, know that you're trying out a schedule. They can help her to stick to it when you're not available.
Change Incontinence Products Regularly
If your elderly family member uses incontinence products, those need to be changed regularly. Ideally, it's a good idea to change those out either every time your elderly family member visits the bathroom or after she's experienced some leakage into the product. This helps to ensure that bacteria from the incontinence product doesn't travel back up her urethra into her bladder, where it can create a new infection for her to fight off.
Following some of these tips can help to make a urinary tract infection far less likely for your aging adult. If she's prone to these types of infections, make sure that you work with her doctor to determine the root cause and get her help as soon as you notice symptoms again.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Hobe Sound, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.