Gransnet forums

Care & carers

Incontinence pads

(68 Posts)
Katyj Mon 18-Dec-23 10:20:39

Hi. Im needing some help regarding incontinence pads for mum. She’s now in a care home and has urine incontinence she needs some heavy duty pads for during the night, the home said she’ll be assessed but the waiting list is six months, and I have to provide them in the meantime.
At the moment she has tena lady pads but they’re not absorbent enough. Anyone have any ideas ?

Granniesunite Mon 18-Dec-23 10:32:04

Surely Your mum is not the first resident to have this problem . I’d have hoped the home staff would have good experience of this, a good idea of what was required to help your mum be comfortable and not put that stress on to you.

Six months of wet beds and wet residents sounds a nightmare.

I’m so sorry you find yourself having to source products to help deal with this at this stage in your mothers care.

V3ra Mon 18-Dec-23 10:43:19

Have you talked to your mum's GP practice?
My Mum was cared for at home, Dad was buying pads but it cost a small fortune.
He was advised to talk to the continence nurse at the GP practice and she arranged for supplies to be delivered, all free.
Worth a try 🤞

Cossy Mon 18-Dec-23 10:46:00

I’m a bit horrified the carehome are not supplying these? The home my mother in law lives in supplies these pads.

My advice, firstly speak to the home asap and check why they’re not supplying the correct incontinence pads, Tena lady won’t cut it. Secondly, Boots etc sell very good pads AND disposable ladies incontinence knickers.

Katyj Mon 18-Dec-23 10:49:31

Hi. Thanks ladies. Unfortunately they’re not being very helpful. They’ve said to look on Amazon and get the most absorbent. Mum used to get free pads from the local authority, but she’s not under the same GP practice now.
Everything is so difficult these days 😵‍💫

BlueBelle Mon 18-Dec-23 10:54:42

My mum was supplied with all her pads at the care home she was in
In dads last few days an incontinence nurse came round and arranged for them to be delivered to his home where he was by the NHS
We didn’t pay for any of them

Bella23 Mon 18-Dec-23 11:01:07

My mum was supplied with them by the Carehome. They usually have a visiting GP regularly, could you ask for the GP to assess her and prescribe pads on their next visit?
The only thing I was ever asked to buy was Gin for my MIL nightly tipple and bigger clothes for my mum she put on so much weight.

Katyj Mon 18-Dec-23 11:09:11

Hi. We're waiting for the incontinence nurse to prescribe the pads, then they’ll be free but unfortunately the waiting list to be seen is six months. It does seem a bit ridiculous, but doesn’t surprise me.

Primrose53 Mon 18-Dec-23 15:37:36

Katyj

Hi. We're waiting for the incontinence nurse to prescribe the pads, then they’ll be free but unfortunately the waiting list to be seen is six months. It does seem a bit ridiculous, but doesn’t surprise me.

Don’t put up with that! There is always a way round anything. Make an appointment for you and your Mum to see the GP together and tell them you cannot wait 6 months+. They may not even realise there is a 6 month wait to see a nurse.

Katyj Mon 18-Dec-23 16:11:39

Hi Yes ive been told the Dr visits every Tuesday. I’ll see if I can get to see them it might speed things up. They do seem a bit slow to respond to requests. Mums only been there 10 days, so it’s all a bit new at the mo.

Visgir1 Mon 18-Dec-23 16:29:16

My uncle needed them recently... His carers contacted Adult services who got them there within the week.
Surly the Care home can sort this?

Imarocker Mon 18-Dec-23 16:45:55

Adult services in our area only supply one pack a month ie 30 pads. We had to buy DM the rest.

Germanshepherdsmum Mon 18-Dec-23 16:55:01

I’m amazed that the care home won’t supply pads until your Mum has seen the nurse. Surely the evidence of their own eyes tells them what’s needed, and they are in the business of knowing exactly what type is needed. Do they actually like having to launder and change her bed linen and night wear every day and deal with possible sores arising from lying in urine-soaked clothes and bedding for hours? They sound negligent - they have a duty of care towards your Mum and are failing to exercise it, trying to offload the problem and any blame on to you. Expecting this situation to carry on for another six months is beyond belief.

Katyj Mon 18-Dec-23 17:16:50

Germanshepherdsmum Yes I’m hoping this isn’t the start of discontentment for us, it’s taken me ages to look for a care home.

There has been a few wet beds so far, which has been upsetting for her. She has pads that she used previously at home, but they were just in case she had an accident, so not absorbent enough now. She was managing to use the commode during the night at home but she has just spent 7 week in hospital were they don’t take them to the toilet, just put them in incontinence pads from the off.
I’m going to see the Dr as soon as I can, see what we can do.

Germanshepherdsmum Mon 18-Dec-23 17:19:09

I wish you well, I really do. 🤞

rosie1959 Mon 18-Dec-23 17:25:43

I used to purchase incontinence pads from our local chemist for my dad you can also purchase squares that go under the person that help stop the bedding getting wet if the pads happen to leak.

Juliet27 Mon 18-Dec-23 17:30:02

I hope if you see the Dr on Tuesday you get a satisfactory response. What a worry for you and mum

Primrose53 Mon 18-Dec-23 19:25:52

While you are sorting this out, try charity shops. If you can’t see any just ask. When I was a volunteer, people used to bring in big packets of brand new ones after they had cleared their loved ones homes or care home rooms.

They are usually priced to sell quickly so usually less than half price in shops.

Esmay Mon 18-Dec-23 20:24:46

I've tried every type on pad on my incontinent father
and ended up with soiled beds .
And finally here is my solution :
I buy slips from Boots and insert the free NHS pad inside .

Katyj Mon 18-Dec-23 21:11:40

Wow you ladies are so helpful, such a lot of good ideas. Sometimes it’s difficult to think, I’ve been in such a muddle with meetings, paperwork and phone calls. I think I’ve lost the plot !

welbeck Tue 19-Dec-23 03:06:39

Esmay

I've tried every type on pad on my incontinent father
and ended up with soiled beds .
And finally here is my solution :
I buy slips from Boots and insert the free NHS pad inside .

this is what i know several domiciliary careworkers do.
not that brand, but the general principal, a belted or side fastening slip to hold a pad that is cheaper and gets changed more often.
also the use of either washable or disposable bed mats helps preserve the bedding, and the skin.

welbeck Tue 19-Dec-23 03:16:16

www.incontinencechoice.co.uk/incontinence-pads/large-shaped-pads.html

www.incontinencechoice.co.uk/adult-nappies/disposable-adult-nappies.html

this is a good supplier, reliable and quick.
their skin cleansing foam is also useful.

but i agree with others, the carehome should be dealing with this. what if a resident has no family ?
do they just suffer incontinence without products.
sounds like they are giving you the run around.

Esmay Tue 19-Dec-23 07:19:26

wellbeck - I discovered it by trial and error.
I also use bed pads and old fashioned draw sheets .

Spec1alk Wed 20-Dec-23 11:18:19

My husband needed incontinence products due to bladder cancer and encephalitis. The incontinence team could provide pads but I bought tena pants- the range included ones for nighttime wear. He was comfortable in them. They work out about 80p per item. I bought them online from age uk.

EmilyHarburn Wed 20-Dec-23 11:20:20

You may find this information helpful.

www.completecareshop.co.uk/stories/can-you-get-incontinence-pads-on-prescription