Elderly Women and Urinary Incontinence in Long-Term Care

Abstract

The prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI), although difficult to define due to underreporting, is estimated to affect over 13 million Americans, and greater than 50% of residents residing in long-term care (LTC) facilities (Bennet, 2008; Earthy & Nativ, 2009; Parker, 2007). It has been estimated that the cost of UI in Canadian LTC facilities is approximately $3000.00 to $10,000.00 per year for each resident experiencing UI (Earthy & Nativ, 2009). The Canadian Continence Foundation (2005) reported that one in four middleaged and older women are affected by UI. By the year 2050, the number of women likely to experience UI will increase by 46% (Romanzi, 2010). The increasing prevalence of UI in long term-care facilities from 55% to 65% over the past 10 years is alarming, and requires careful consideration by healthcare providers and policy-makers (MacDonald & Butler, 2007; Sahyoun, et al., 2001).