My dad was dianosed with Alzheimers earlier this year, but hasn't been himself for a while. He has also been incontinent for a year or so, which has got worse, and for the last 6 months or so has been doubley incontinent. My poor mum spends a lot of her day changing him, as he can go several times a day, and she hates it. It makes going out difficult - my Mum's quite sociable but this has made it really difficult for her to do anything. He has incontinence pants, but these do not always catch everything - they have tried several diferent sizes. Somehow he sometimes chooses the the time he is being changed to do his business, and sometimes after he has wandered off into the bedroom and does it on the carpet. He also wets the bed every night either through the pants or leeks out the side, so my mum washes bed linen every morning (he has waterproof matress cover, but that needs to be washed).
From what I have read, this level of incontinence seems to happen in later stages of Alzheimers, and he is definitely not at those stages yet. They have been to the doctor several times about it, but I'm not sure if they have really taken on board how bad it is and how it's getting my Mum down - she is his only carer, so her health and wellbeing needs to be taken into consideration.
Does anyone else have similar experience, or knowledge about this, and if this is 'normal' or not, or if we should be pushing the doctor for further explorations. Does anyone have any tips on how to cope with this? Or any ideas for support? She is in touch with various organisations, who supply his pants, but no-one has offered anything more really.
From what I have read, this level of incontinence seems to happen in later stages of Alzheimers, and he is definitely not at those stages yet. They have been to the doctor several times about it, but I'm not sure if they have really taken on board how bad it is and how it's getting my Mum down - she is his only carer, so her health and wellbeing needs to be taken into consideration.
Does anyone else have similar experience, or knowledge about this, and if this is 'normal' or not, or if we should be pushing the doctor for further explorations. Does anyone have any tips on how to cope with this? Or any ideas for support? She is in touch with various organisations, who supply his pants, but no-one has offered anything more really.