Can Incontinence Disqualify Someone From Assisted Living Facilities?

Incontinence doesn’t disqualify someone from assisted living facilities. An estimated 13 million Americans have incontinence, and at least half of homebound seniors and those in nursing facilities live with the condition. Being diagnosed with diabetes and having an increased body mass raises the risk of urinary incontinence. With an aging population and the prevalence of incontinence increasing with age, assisted living communities offer services to help manage the condition, so incontinence isn’t a barrier to entering these residential facilities.

Nerves and muscle issues controlling the bladder or bowels can cause accidental urine or fecal leakage, known as incontinence. Many conditions cause this inability to control bladder or bowel movements, including:

• Stress
• Nerve damage
• Chronic illness
• Late-stage dementia
• Physical disability

To manage incontinence, older adults wear pads, briefs or adult diapers. While many seniors are mobile and use restrooms and change incontinence briefs themselves, those with limited mobility may need the help of caregivers to maintain hygiene and change briefs. In these instances, seniors benefit from the incontinence services offered by an assisted living facility.

In assisted living communities, caregivers assist residents with daily living activities, including bathing, mobility and toileting. Given the prevalence of urinary incontinence among seniors living in long-term care settings, facilities frequently incorporate incontinence care into their services, including:

• Planned bathroom visits: A member of staff escorts a senior to use the restroom every few hours.
• Bathroom reminders: Caregivers frequently remind and encourage residents with incontinence to use the bathroom.
• Adult pads, briefs and diaper changes: Staff members provided hands-on assistance with changing pads, briefs and adult diapers.
• Continence management: Continence advisors, nurses or specialists help seniors manage their incontinence through preventative actions, such as treatments, education and pelvic-floor exercises.

The level of service varies by state and facility, and not all assisted living communities have staff trained to manage complex medical conditions associated with incontinence. Seniors who require a higher level of assistance may find that a nursing home environment better meets their care needs.