[Urinary incontinence in the aged].
With increasing number of the elderly, the problem of urinary incontinence might become as serious as those of dementia and the bedridden. But strategy for urinary incontinence of the aged lay behind those for the other two. Not only does urinary incontinence significantly disturb the activity and social participation of patients it also increases the total cost of care and the number of long-stay patients in hospitals, causing enormous expenses. The relative and absolute decrease of the younger generation, coupled with the tendency towards nuclear families, makes the national policy of home-care system for the aged patients difficult. Now we must take new steps to cope with this situation. Since urinary incontinence is generally caused by some disease, medical care might cure it or simplify its management in many cases. However, considering the increase in the number of elderly urinary incontinent patients, the number of incontinence-care professionals is very small in our country. A help from general practitioners who are usually in contact with age patients, is indispensable. To assist them, we are now compiling a manual on how to assess and manage urinary incontinence in the elderly, based on the useful classification of Brocklehurst. The causal diseases of transient urinary incontinence are familiar to the general practitioners and may be treated by them relatively easily. For the treatment of the causal diseases of the established urinary incontinence the patients should be sent to specialists, after first aid if necessary. Some advice concerning to pharmaceutical therapy, based on my daily clinical experience, are added.
Department of Urology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital.
K
K
Nakauchi
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*