Real stories

People affected by dementia try out continence care products

Continence problems can affect a person at any stage of dementia. 

Although this is common, it can be difficult to talk about and many people struggle to get products that may help.

We asked readers to tell us how they found using a range of continence care products, all available from our shop.

Cleaning and deodorising

The Mattress & bedding cleaner is one of a range of sprays from BioBreeze that use enzymes. It’s designed to deal with smells and prevent stains from urine and other fluids.

‘It smells fresh and clean, and helped freshen the mattress and pillows up,’ says Stephanie.

SeaGirl agrees, ‘It sprays easily, and doesn’t leave marks on white bedding. 

It seems to make a difference and should also be useful for keeping the cover of the support cushion on my husband’s chair fresh.

She adds, ‘As the aroma is quite intense and long lasting, I’m not sure I would want to use it on our pillow protectors.’

JB also says, ‘It’s easy to use, it has a pleasant smell and it masks other smells.

‘But my mother-in-law found it too strong, so we couldn’t use it regularly.’

BioBreeze’s Incontinence odour & stain remover breaks down the bacteria that cause odours, dealing with them at source rather than just masking them.

‘The smell is fine and it’s easy to use,’ says JB.

Stephanie’s more forthright, ‘The smell is amazing, and it gets rid of odour – we used it on our carpet.’

SeaGirl says, ‘It’s a clear liquid, with a fresh and appealing aroma. It leaves no marks.’

Stephanie struggled to read the label’s small writing on both sprays, and found one nozzle stiff and the other slightly leaky. The price was a bit too much for her.

‘If it was cheaper, I’d recommend it,’ she said.

SeaGirl says, ‘It seems to be effective and a little goes a long way, so I would recommend it.’

Wipes and body wash 

Biodegradable dry wipes from Nilaqua are unscented and can be used all over the body.

‘I like the size and they’re more textured, less filmy than our regular wipes,’ says JB.

‘I would consider buying them, but they are more expensive.’

Stephanie says, ‘They’re soft to the touch, easy to pull out and a practical size.’

However, she adds, ‘When I used the dry wipes, lots of bits came off.’

Janet had a different experience, saying, ‘They are nice and soft, and don’t disintegrate.’

Nilaqua’s Towel off body wash cleans and moisturises the skin without water. You apply it, massage it in and then wipe it off.

SeaGirl says, ‘The wash has a thick, creamy foam. It has quite a subtle smell and left skin clean and freshened up, with no noticeable residue.’

Stephanie found it harder to remove, saying, ‘I used a wet cloth to get it off.’

‘It might be useful if someone is bed bound,’ says SeaGirl.

I wish I’d known about these when my friend was unable to get to the shower – she didn’t feel clean even with a flannel bed bath.

Washable underwear

As part of their wide collection of specially designed clothes, The Able Label offers underwear to help with light to moderate continence problems.

The knickers, Y-fronts and trunk boxers have built-in absorbent pads and are machine washable.

The Super Absorbent Washable Full Brief Knickers are high waisted, with a floral lace design.

‘They feel good quality, are comfortable and fit well,’ says Stephanie.

‘The only downside is they take a while to dry after washing.’

The Washable men’s incontinence Y-front brief has a sturdy elasticated waistband.

‘At first glance, they seem huge,’ says SeaGirl. ‘Once on, they are still large and quite bulky under trousers. However, the fabric is soft and they seem well made.

‘My only reservation is the drying time. They took around two days to air-dry.

‘But they’re more dignified than NHS-supplied products and a massive improvement over a pad in a pair of pants.’

Stephanie says £21 is a lot for underwear if you’re on a budget, though you can get the VAT off if they’re for a person with dementia to use.

‘Assuming the stated 250-wash lifetime is accurate, they are fair value,’ says SeaGirl.

Back-opening nightwear

The Able Label also offer nightwear that opens at the back, so that it’s easier to put on and take off when needed.

The range includes the Jade easy- care floral open back nightdress and Otis short sleeve cotton back opening nightshirt.

Stephanie, who tried the nightshirt, says, ‘I didn’t have any problems putting it on my husband.

The style was helpful because if he needs the toilet at night, it saves having to pull pyjama pants down.

‘The material is good quality, but it took a few washes to soften it.’

Stephanie thought the price is high, though this is a common issue with specially-designed clothing.

Product prices

• Mattress & bedding enzyme cleaner – £11.99 including VAT.
• Incontinence odour & stain remover – £11.99 including VAT.
• Biodegradable dry wipes – £4.14 including VAT.
• Towel off body wash 200ml – £4.35 including VAT.
• Super absorbent washable full brief knickers – £21 including VAT.
• Washable men’s incontinence Y-front brief – £21 including VAT.
• Washable incontinence underwear (trunk boxers) – £21 including VAT.
• Jade easy-care floral open back nightdress – £39 including VAT.
• Otis short sleeve cotton back opening nightshirt – £38 including VAT.

Apart from the first spray, you can buy these products VAT free if they’re for use by a person with dementia or other conditions, saving 20%. Tick the box stating that you’re eligible for VAT relief at checkout.