Many individuals and new caregivers ask us what kind of products are needed for caring for incontinent adults in addition to their adult diapers or incontinence garments. While everyone may have different needs a few of the more common items include skin cleansers, skin care lotions and creams, room deodorizers and disposable gloves. All of these items will help maintain a healthy and pleasant environment for all people involved.
Skin Cleansing products specifically used for incontinence are designed to be gentle on skin while cleaning away urine and feces. This is the basis of continued skin health and comfort. There are many varieties of skin cleansers to help fill this need including:
- Body Wash & Shampoo - these are available as no-rinse cleansing solutions to use all over the body for clean up. They can be used with regular washcloths to disposable washcloths. Simply use the cleansers as directed and gently dry skin with a clean cloth. This will help keep skin smooth, soft, non-irritated and healthy.
- Skin Cleansing Foams - Similar to body wash & shampoo except that these cleansers are foam which make them easy to apply and spread on skin for cleansing.
- Wipes & Washcloths - these disposable cloths allow the user to easily and gently cleans the skin and then dispose of the cloth after use. Adult sized wipes help with adult sized clean up. Disposable washcloths are thicker than wipes and are generally used for all over body in-bed bathing, although many people use them specifically for incontinence skin cleansing because they prefer the thicker cloths.
Skin care products include lotions, creams, ointments and powders. Lotions are more liquid and absorb rapidly in skin to replace moisture and protect from irritation. Skin Care Products include:
- Lotions - low to medium thickness and can be easily spread over large areas of skin.
- Creams- thicker than lotions and leave a thin film to help moisturize and protect sensitive skin.
- Ointments are thicker and generally do not absorb easily into the skin. They tend to be greasy and stay on the surface of the skin to help promote healing
Room deodorizers help keep the air fresh and clean which keeps everyone more happy. They are available in unscented or scented varieties. Quality room deodorizers will actually absorb odors rather than cover them up with other fragrances.
Gloves are available to act as a barrier between caregiver and patient. Many varieties of gloves are available, but the most common used disposable glove for incontinence care are the vinyl variety. They are inexpensive and available in sizes to fit virtually all hand sizes.
These are just a few examples of the most common items needed by caregivers when caring for incontinent adults to ensure comfort and health.
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