How Common Is Incontinence in Older Adults?
By some estimates, as many as half of all adults will suffer from incontinence -- the loss of bladder or bowel control, causing leakage -- at some point in their lives. But incontinence isn't a normal or inevitable consequence of aging. It's a symptom of a problem, not a disease itself.
Urinary incontinence is much more common in women than in men, and it's more common than fecal incontinence. A national survey in 2005 found that 12 percent of women ages 60 to 64 reported daily urinary incontinence, as did 21 percent (or more than one in five) of women over age 85. Nine percent of men of all ages reported having had a bladder control problem in the previous 30 days.
Very important info. Thanks a million. Neville James
very nice presentation, but would have liked more specific information. As a gynecologist with cognitive impairment (they are saying mild...but I stopped driving, gave up practice of medicine, no longer cook with flame....make lists and calendars etc...it's very difficult to explain to others what is happening in one's brain...It seems that my disease is not affecting my everyday living, but yet it is not only because I have self-limited dangerous things and am using many coping skills learned from this site.)But concerning incontinence, many women have incontinence for a variety of reasons in early life with no cognitive impairment. Especially regarding fecal incontinece, I would like to see more information.
Hello happydoc,
Thank you very much for your comment. If you'd like to learn more about incontinence, we have a wonderful topic center full of useful innocence information, here: http://www.caring.com/incontinence. I hope that helps!
Take care, Emily | Community Manager
It makes a BIG difference if women practice kegaling from a young age! Most all of my female relatives have had bladder tucks out of "necessity, but I had nine 10# + children and I kegal daily. I haven't had a problem yet! I have been very unsuccessful in teaching my mother this simple exercise. She has accidents always!
