Management of Functional Incontinence

Environmental Changes

• Raised toilet seats and grab bars to enable an older person with proximal muscle weakness to sit on and stand from the toilet seat;

• Night lights;

• Bedside commodes and/or urinals;

• Wheelchair accessible bathrooms;

• Changes in clothing to eliminate the need for buttons or zippers may help as well, especially for those with urgency;

• Other possible environmental changes include walking aids such as walkers, canes, and gait training to improve mobility;

• Catheters, diapers, pads, and other collecting devices may be used if there is no alternative and behavioral treatment is not possible or not effective.

Behavioral Management

• Habit training

• Prompted voiding

• Regular toileting

Medical Management

• There is no specific medical treatment for functional incontinence.

• Treat contributing factors as for urge incontinence. Treating urinary tract infections and making dietary changes may be useful. In addition, treating arthritis, neurological disorders, depression, and visual deficits may be useful. Medications that could be contributing, especially psychoactive drugs, should be withdrawn.

Surgical Management

• There is no specific surgical treatment for functional incontinence.