Urinary incontinence: when to refer for procedural therapies.

Urinary incontinence is not life-threatening but rather is a social problem for older women. Therefore, 'patient selection' for a surgical intervention is up to the patient. The physician's role is to educate patients about available procedures, including potential complications and success rates.

Urinary incontinence: primary care therapies for the older woman.

Work-up of the older woman with urinary incontinence includes a complete physical, pelvic and rectal examinations, and a neurologic exam. The primary care physician can usually leave post-void residual testing to the specialist. Lab tests include urinalysis and urine culture, as well as basic blood tests.

Urinary incontinence: keys to diagnosis of the older woman.1.

Up to 38% of women age 65 and older experience urinary incontinence to some degree, although the prevalence in this population may be even greater. Aging, childbirth, and hormonal changes affect the muscle and tissue support of the urethra and bladder, decreasing their ability to hold urine. Neurologic injury related to disease, trauma, or surgery may impair the pathways between the brain and bladder, leading to inappropriate urgency and frequency.

Falls prevention: the efficacy of a bed alarm system in an acute-care setting.

The present study examined the clinical efficacy of a bed alarm system in reducing falls from bed on a geriatric evaluation and treatment unit. A nine-month case-controlled study was designed, in which 70 patients (60 women, 10 men; mean age 84 years, range 67-97 years) at increased risk for bed falls were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. Subjects in the experimental group (n = 35) received a bed alarm system and those in the control group (n = 35) did not.