Urinary incontinence is the loss of the ability to control the passing of urine during adulthood.

Many people think that incontinence is a normal part of the aging process, so they may not seek help
from their physician, but is actually not a normal part of aging. Urinary incontinence is more common in
women than men. It is commonly caused by vaginal birthing, pelvic or vaginal surgery, hormone levels,
and other chronic medical conditions. Studies have also found that women who engage in regular
physical activity are less likely to have urinary incontinence than women who lead sedentary lifestyles.
Also, men with enlarged prostate glands are at higher risk for urinary incontinence.

A nurse may suggest doing Kegel exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. Another idea would be to
try bladder training. Bladder training is using the restroom at set times throughout the day, even if the
patient doesn’t recognize that they have to urinate. Most people void in the morning, after they eat, and
before going to bed, so its good to include those times in the set toileting schedule.

pp. 670-671

Burton, M. (2019). Fundamentals of Nursing Care: Concepts, Connections & Skills with

DavisEdge [Third Edition, pp. 670-671]. Retrieved June 18, 2020.