How to choose the best adult diapers for you or a loved one

Adult Diapers
Adult Diapers

Aging is a difficult process that brings with it challenges that are hard to tackle. Watching a loved one age and their bodies slowly lose the ability to perform daily functions is not easy at all. If you were going through such a scenario, you would want to do your best to make sure your loved one maintains their quality of life and dignity. The most common problem that comes up as people age is bowel and bladder incontinence. Coming to terms with incontinence is not easy for the person experiencing it; therefore, you need to be as supportive as possible when you discover a person has a problem.

Adult diapers are one of the most effective ways to deal with incontinence. Here, are a few tips to help you select the best adult diapers for a loved one with incontinence.

1. The design

The first thing to think about when choosing adult diapers is the design. Some diapers are designed for men, others for women, and a third category that is unisex. If the diapers have been designed to suit a certain gender, you need to pick the ones that correspond to the sex of the person who needs them. If they are unisex, you do not have to worry about gender. Note that the differences exist because of the differences in the anatomy of men and women. Men’s diapers are sometimes made with a little more allowance for their anatomy, and if a woman uses them, they end up hanging a little lose, which could lead to leakage.

2. The activity level of the user

Another crucial consideration in connection with diapers is the activity level of the user. If the user is still active and they walk around a lot, you will have a variety of diapers from which to choose. These could range from the pull-ups that resemble briefs to the type that has Velcro fastenings. One the other hand, if the user is bedridden and has little movement, you will need to look for the type that is easiest to fasten and remove. Note that patients who are bedridden have the highest risk of developing bedsores from the wetness, and will, therefore, need diapers that are well-fitted and very kind on the skin.

3. The absorbency levels

The absorbency level of a diaper is another thing that determines their usefulness. There are adult diapers that can absorb as much as 90 ounces of water at any given time. The higher the capacity of the diaper, the better it will be for the user. Note that heavy-duty diapers are made for specific purposes such as overnight use, because they can absorb all the wetness that the person excretes while sleeping. The material of the diaper should also be moisture wicking, meaning that when the wetness hits the surface of the diaper, it is drawn away from the surface and locked in, keeping the area next to the skin dry at all times.

4. Diaper or pull up

The other consideration you have to think about is the make of the incontinence products. The most common are the diaper type and the pull up type. Benefits of adult diapers include the following:

  • They are easy to put on as they resemble briefs
  • They fit snugly around the person and contain any leakage
  • They are easy to remove because their sides come with break-away seams
  • They have enough structural strength to handle excessive weight from the moisture.

The brief or pull up type is ideal for people that still have some level of mobility and can use the bathroom from time to time. On the other hand, regular diapers are great for patients who are bed ridden because they are easy to fasten and remove. The condition of the patient will determine the type that you should opt for. If the patient has other medical conditions and instruments such as catheters, feeding tubes etc., it will be easy for them to use diapers that have Velcro fasteners as they can be fastened around the instruments safely.

5. The material used to make the diapers

Another important consideration is the material used to make the diaper, especially the back of the diaper. The two most common options here are cloth and plastic. Cloth-backed diapers are great because they offer the breathing space that the skin needs and prevent the user from developing a rash. On the other hand, plastic-backed diapers are wonderful because they hold in all the wetness and other products and reduce the possibility of an embarrassing leak, especially when in public.

6. The cost

Another important thing to remember when choosing diapers is that if the user has a long-term health condition, you will need to buy a lot of diapers over time. The consistent purchase means that if the diapers are expensive, they will put a strain on finances. When looking for a brand to trust, get one that combines quality and affordability. Other things that you can do to help get the best diapers at an affordable cost include:

  • Always be on the lookout for sales
  • Buy diapers in bulk, they cost less when you buy more
  • Looking for coupons and other discounts
  • Shop from places that are always competitive prices for the same products, even when they are expensive elsewhere.

These are some of the considerations to make when buying incontinence products. Other important factors that you need to think about include the condition of the person who will use the diapers. If they have bowel incontinence, look for diapers that have the ability to lock in the odor. This will do away with the stigma associated with the smell of urine or other waste that could leak onto clothes. Lastly, understand that selecting the best adult diapers is not a one-time process, and you may need to apply continuous trial and error so that you can constantly get the products that suit your loved one’s needs the best.