Hello I am new to this forum.
My mum has Parkinson’s and my dad is her carer. I am currently staying with my mum as my dad is away for a week on a well deserved golfing holiday.
I see my parents most days as we are very local to each other and staying here I can see and experience the deterioration in my mother.
She has become incontinent overnight and this is causing both her and my dad a great stress. She is wearing appropriate night time pants and has a commode next to her bed but everyday her bed is wet and needs changing(which my dad has do). On another note I cannot believe how much fluid she passes during the night. I am wondering if anybody has the same problem or any tips to help this situation.
Unfortunately, people with Parkinson’s may be more likely to have problems with their bladder or bowels than people of a similar age without the condition. There are many different products specially designed to help with bladder issues.
For example, You can buy various mattress covers, absorbent sheets, bedpads, and duvet and pillow covers if you need them. Washable absorbent sheets tend to be the most comfortable, but they can be heavy and difficult to handle when wet. I’d recommend that you speak to her GP or Parkinson’s nurse about the best options for your mum. We have more information on this here - https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/bladder-and-bowel-problems
I’m sure sure you’ll received some great advice from our members soon, however, in the meantime, please do not hesitate to give our confidential helpline a call on 0808 800 0303.
Hi there,
My husband uses an external catheter at night…basically a cordom with a tube you can attach. Works brilliantly and is supplied courtesy of nhs, having been recommended by local incontinence clinic which our GP referred OH to.
I couldn’t imagine what a female one might look like or how it would work but if you google “ female external catheter” as I have just done you will see…and presumably incontinence clinics advise re them too.
Saves SOOOO much time and trouble and preserves a level of dignity that in my OH’s case was being seriously threatened before .
Good luck!
My husband used one for a while but unfortunately there wasn’t enough there to attach it to and it often came off, although brilliant when it did work. He now wears a large pad with a small one inside under stretch net pants, I put a couple of waterproof pads under the sheet to protect the mattress and one on top of the sheet. Most nights that works fine and it is only his pads and shorts that are wet but it amazes me how wet the pads are. Being wet makes him wake up early so I often miss the last couple of hours of a good night’s sleep getting up to change him which makes me a bit grumpy and then I feel guilty. Once up I make us a cup of tea and he has his first pills and promptly goes back to sleep again, while I’m wide awake so usually having my breakfast by 6am. At least that gives me a bit of time to myself before the granddaughter arrives at 7 for the school run. Keeps me busy!
I use a catheter to empty my bladder before bed and haven’t had to wear a pad since starting this. The problem is my bladder was always still holding 350 to 400 mll after urination due to nerve damage. I also use it in the morning and before going out to avoid repeated trips to the loo. Can’t recommend it enough.
Hi I was my late dad’s carer who had Parkinson’s. My dad would be very wet during the night. It is trial and error as to what works. I used layers of protection on my dad’s bed. Brolly sheets on the sheets as these could be washed. I had mattress protection covers, and then disposable bed mats on top of the Brolly sheets. I found Asda’s children’s range were the best. My dad would wear the nappy type pads at night and I went a size up . I would automatically get up in the night to change his pad to prevent leaks but this did not always work as dad could be very wet. Then when I woke up first thing I would go and check dad. My dad became so unsteady that unless I had a carer with me we had to stop using the commode and he was in pull up pads in the day. Fortunately I am a light sleeper and early riser. My dad also found that if he didn’t have a cup of tea at his evening meal and stuck to juice he wasn’t as wet. In our area the incontinence pads are basic so we paid for them ourselves which was worth it to keep dad comfortable. Also Ebay have free delivery on supplies which saves money. I wish you luck.
