UTIs in dementia care
Urinary tract infections, also known as UTIs are common amongst elderly. Monitoring your loved ones health and wellbeing becomes especially important for people in dementia care, as they are at higher risk of infections, which can be difficult to detect. Find out more about causes and prevention of UTIs when looking after loved ones.
Indicators of UTIs in dementia care
Young people exhibit typical characteristics that make it easy to determine if they have a UTI. Usually, symptoms include painful urination, increased need to void bladder, lower back and abdominal pain as well as fever and chills. As we age, we experience infections differently, making it difficult for carers to identify a problem. Due to changes in our immune system, older adults may show symptoms of confusion, agitation and isolation, instead of physical pain. This is also known as delirium. As these symptoms are often associated with dementia side effects, it can become difficult to diagnose a dementia patient for a UTI. When looking after loved ones, it’s important to establish normal behaviour for people in dementia care, so you can identify when something’s wrong and they may need to see a doctor for a proper check-up. Equally, it’s important that elders without cognitive impairment are not mistaken for exhibiting symptoms of dementia when it could be a simple, treatable UTI.
Risk factors for UTIs in dementia care
While the elderly are at higher risk of developing UTIs, women in particular have four times the risk of developing them compared to men. Older males have an increased risk of infections due to prostate enlargement and both genders are more likely to suffer from UTIs if they have a catheter or a weakened immune system. Conditions like diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis can cause neurological damage and urine retention, putting patients at a higher risk. Kidney stones could pose another risk of infections. Aforementioned similarities between dementia and UTI symptoms can allow infections to go undetected, leading to kidney problems, and they can even become fatal once infection enters the bloodstream.
Preventing UTIs in dementia care
To minimise the risk factors for UTIs in dementia care, there are some easy but very important habits you can implement in your loved one’s life. Firstly, ensure they drink enough water every day, between six to eight glasses is ideal. Avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol, since dehydration puts people at higher risk of developing a UTI. Certain medications that act as diuretics and laxatives can exacerbate this, so consult a doctor if you have any concerns. Help your elder maintain a good hygiene with regular showers or baths and ensure they have clean clothes, and adult diapers are changed as soon as possible after soiling. Making sure the dementia patient voids their bowel and bladder promptly and that proper toileting hygiene is achieved will prevent UTIs from happening. Female patients should never wipe from back to front. Any obstructions or external reasons why the patient may avoid going to the loo should be eliminated. Topical estrogen creams can help prevent recurrent infections in post-menopausal women and, those with frequent UTIs, may require long-term antibiotic treatment. Most importantly, ensure to visit or consult a doctor whenever you notice irregularities in your loved ones behaviour or exacerbated symptoms of dementia, as they could be signs of an infection and shouldn’t be ignored.
