I moved in with my mother temporarily while I'm looking for work - before this I was a long distance caregiver. She has incontinence and wears the pads and pullups. She was putting the used ones in an open garbage can in the bathroom that was only emptied twice a week and the smell was horrible! I got her to agree to one of those air tight garbage cans, so at least the smell is contained unless you open the can. It's a struggle as she is embarrassed by the whole topic and does not smell it at all. She also only takes "spit baths" and has only taken one real shower in three months - she refuses to listen to me about anything.
So my question for you folks is given that this is urinary incontinence only is it normal that the smell from these pads should be devastatingly bad - like enough to make me nauseous? How do I deal with this?
I think if you put a little Vick's Vaporub or Mentholatum on your upper lip, it may help with smells. I will say that I haven't tried it, but that's what I've had suggested to me in the past.
Pam - I think you may have hit the nail on the head about the medications. She is on many of them and has had problems with recurring UTI over the last couple years. Fishy might describe it somewhat. I have begged her to keep cleaner, but the most she will do is rinse with water. She says soap "burns" her lady parts. Even Johnson's baby wash. She refuses to tell her doctors about this stuff on her own but I am going with her now so may make some headway.
Susan.....thanks for your ideas about the hygeine. Yes, it is dreadful and something must be done. Just how and what without me getting kicked out on the street is a hard thing. My mother is still very willful and legally competent so there's only so much I can make happen.
Txcamper, Diaper Genie would help if I can find a way to introduce the idea that she doesn't take as a deep insult. It would keep things sealed up way better.
This gets beyond the practical but how do you all deal with the emotional aspects of this? Smelling unpleasant smells from personal areas of other people is something I'm not sure how to deal with. Some nurse I'd make!
I have multiple sources of air fresheners (no open flame candles though) in each bathroom to help keep the odors down.
If the smell is more weird chemical, it's probably her meds.
If it is a poopy smell--she is losing bowel control.
If you smell rotting garbage---there is rotting flesh and you need to get her stripped down for inspection NOW to identify the cause.
If the garbage is not carried out DAILY, then yes, there will be horrible smells even from normal urine.
You need to first and foremost get mom to shower. Aging people do not smell the same odors we do. Their sense of smell becomes duller and they don't notice the odor of urine or body odor. First try to convince her yourself....ask her if you can give her a warm shower to relax her muscles and buy a pretty-smelling shower gel or soap that she would like. Tell her you'll shampoo her hair for her and maybe you can sweeten the pot a bit and try to have a home beautician come in and cut/style her hair for her. (Check with your local agency on aging for a list of in-home beauticians.)
If mom still won't shower, it may be time for an ultimatum - tell her that she needs to let you help her get in the shower and get washed up (or do it herself), or you will need to call in a home health care agency and have them help her, because not showering is not healthy for her. Let her know that you are only trying to look out for her health.
Regarding the smell from the incontinence pads, the covered trash can will help, but make sure it's emptied every day, or more than once a day if necessary.