I've looked back at some old threads on this and it appears that Medicare doesn't cover adult diapers or adult pullups. Is that still correct?
My mom is 79 (no dementia) and suffers from regular bowel and bladder incontinence. I would say that she has a mishap at least once a day of one or the other. She handles her cleanups herself and wears large pads in her regular panties. Her bladder leak is sort of intermittent, like when she stands. She's seen a urologist, who sees nothing wrong. She had a full internal scope under sedation. Her Gastroenterologist says she's okay on that end too (has had scope down throat and colonoscopy), but, the problems exist, so, I'm trying to figure the best way to deal with it. She refuses to follow a good diet and eats things that are bound to cause her problems. No way she'll change that, so, trying to get the best products. Would adult diapers be a good option? She has recurring UTI's. What about Kegal exercises?
The fecal incontinence is more problematic because it is less easy to contain and clean up after. Unless this is little more than skid marks a pull up will give more protection than a pad but there is an added cost and that causes many to wear the products longer, which is a whole nother problem.
Do get her some baby wipes to help with clean up and barrier cream to protect sensitive tissues. I think a bidet toilet seat would be a wonderful option if possible.
Also, one of the most valuable pieces of information I've gotten from this forum is the use of the supplement D-Mannose in preventing UTIs. I am NOT a fan of taking supplements, for reasons I won't bore anyone with right now. But my poor MIL got at least one a month as she is bedridden in her LTC facility. No matter what we did she'd get one after another. Then I read a comment by someone on this forum (an RN) about D-Mannose and her good experience with it. I did a little research (there's not that much info out there) and decided my MIL had nothing to lose since it is a simple sugar and there's no discernible side effects. After discussing with the facility medical staff, they gave the ok and allowed me to provide it for her. She has been on it since fall of 2019 and has not had another UTI since. The link I'm providing talks about it more as a treatment, but I started my MIL on it only when I knew she was completely clear of an infection, so as a preventative. If your mom has a UTI don't start anything until it is cleared up. I can only tell you how it worked for us, please do your due diligence if you consider using it. I purchase it on amazon.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27424995
She drinks one cup of coffee per day. No juice, unless, a little Diet Cranberry, but, usually she takes pills for that. Not that it helps.
But, she doesn't drink water the way she should. Her doctor says that she doesn't need a sling. She told me for years that she had prolasped uterus and more, but, full scope by doctor says not true. So, you know what I'm dealing with. She was shocked to hear that she was wrong. Anyway, I will get her that D-Mannose and see if she'll actually take it.
I just don't get why she makes a huge deal out of the accidents every day like it's a big shocker. They happen all the time. It's odd. I would think you would put on diapers after ruining dozens of pair of underwear. I just don't get it. Plus, she doesn't eat right and when she does has things that would aggravate an irritable bowel. Her doctor says she doesn't have that either. I suspect anxiety/depression is her main culprit:( It's odd that I've discovered she buys laxatives almost every week. lol Ever heard of someone who has diarrhea everyday, regularly taking laxatives......? Trying to be compassionate.