Incontinence comes in many forms and degrees. For instance, urinary incontinence may either be urge or functional incontinence. Urge incontinence occurs when the leakage takes place just as the person feels the urge to urinate. People with functional incontinence may feel the same urge to urinate but cannot make it to the bathroom for a number of reasons. Among the elderly, this occurs as a result of cognitive impairment in dementia. Just as with urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence is seldom caused by anatomical anomalies; however, it is more commonly attributed to nerve or muscle damage, which are often associated with Parkinson’s disease.
The elderly experience both urinary and fecal incontinence. However, the medical community does not consider incontinence as a “normal” part of aging because of the accompaniment of dementia and other degenerative neural disorders. However, one may attribute urinary and fecal incontinence in the elderly to decreased hormone levels and the dystrophy of nerve and muscle tissues.
Fortunately, adult diapers relieve the elderly from the embarrassment incontinence brings. Like baby diapers, adult diapers are also equipped with components that guarantee optimum absorption while preventing unpleasant odors and leaking. Adult diapers now also come with a variety of designs to ensure comfort and function.
Overnight pads look like conventional babies’ diapers except that the adhesion is on the outer non-absorbent lining, so it can cling to the user’s underwear. These are designed to hold urine that may leak during the night during sleep, or when going to the bathroom is either too difficult or impossible. They are also ideal for adults who are bedridden or otherwise unable to move fast enough to make it to the bathroom in time. Aside from people with Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease, people with temporary incontinence as a result of surgery also wear adult diapers.
Bariatric surgery may also require patients to wear diapers. Bariatric surgery is a variety of highly advanced “weight loss” surgeries that involve altering the structure of the digestive system to reduce the urge to eat. Bariatric surgery is intended for morbidly obese people, especially those with type 2 diabetes, who cannot lose weight on their own. In this case, bariatric briefs are large pull-up diapers designed to avoid irritation and leaking.
A similar diaper called adult swim diapers may be used in swimming pools. This is ideal for people with either urge incontinence or structural incontinence. Adult swim diapers are comfortable yet incredibly sturdy as they are meant to keep bodily wastes from mixing with the water.