Daddy has congestive heart failure and was in the hospital this week for two days with fluid build-up. He's back in his AL now, but he told me this morning he thinks he needs to "wear a catheter." He cannot control the urine flow when they increase his diuretic after one of these bouts of extra fluid, and he gets his clothes wet sometimes when he pees. He needs help; and it he has to wait more than a few minutes, accidents happen.
I was very alarmed at the suggestion and wanted to ask if this is ever even a solution to what has to be a common problem in this situation. Use of catheters causes so many other issues, and he is not able to self-care anyway. There is no telling what the facility will charge if he decides he needs a catheter! And I can't believe any doctor would do that just for the convenience of keeping him from having little accidents when he pees, right?
Thoughts? Thanks!
And yes, it is prescribed for convenience and many men choose it over having to wear shields and/or adult briefs.
If this isn't an option then I agree, start with the condom catheter since it's non-invasive.
The problem with inserting a catheter is it can lead to more infections.
If it just a matter of him having to wait until he can get assistance maybe a Urinal that he can keep by his chair or bed. When it is urgent that he get to the bathroom if no one is there the urinal would be close by.
Incontinence briefs with a separate pad placed inside worked with dad. But he was pretty much bed bound, so there wasn't a lot of leakage.
Mother has constant UTI's due to the catheters not being cleaned properly. It's a daunting process. Luckily, she does not get 'crazy' with UTI's.
Keeping these things clean is a PT job, Mother can't keep hers clean enough and trying to help her is not allowed. She thinks she's doing fine, so I say nothing. Sometimes I go to her house and her 'secondary catheter' is lying on the bathroom floor, half full of 'sick' urine. She just swipes at the end she inserts and calls it good.
And a lot of men aren't even going to make THAT much effort.