My Momma who is 89 yrs old and has Alzheimer's Dementia and is plagued with constant UTI's for years and who was taking PTNS (shock treatments once a month to her bladder to help prevent UTI's) Her new caregivers and her urologist is pushing for my Momma to have a surgical procedure done called a Insterstim Bladder Pacemaker put into her low back. The main device is located under her skin, but there are leads coming out of her skin connected to a battery pack that she would put in her pocket. It's supposed to provide little shocks to her bladder on it's own and would last 5 yrs.
I say that this is a bad idea, especially since Momma is in the later stages of her Alzheimer's Dementia and she is plagued with constant itchy skin. My fear is she would forget what those leads were for and pull them out potentially causing infection and other problems.
I need some advice on this matter and if any of you have any websites I could look at about Alzheimer's and Bladder Pacemakers being a bad idea, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you all in advance.
Surgery for someone with dementia is difficult.
The chance for her to pull on the device is high, even if they place it where it would be more difficult to reach I would never underestimate the ability of someone with dementia to do something that "they are not supposed to be able to do".
Late stages of dementia..I would not worry about UTI's, she may be at the point where shock or not she will develop them due to decreased intake of fluids, being incontinent and wearing briefs or tab type products will retain some urine close as well as having wet briefs on occasionally (no one can change someone "immediately") so there are times when a person may remain in a soled brief for a little while. Also the probability of not thoroughly cleaning the area each and every time so some urine may remain.
And as the decreased fluids the urine will be more concentrated
And the kidneys will also begin to shut down as she nears the end of life.
So push fluids as best as you can.
Change as often a possible
Clean as best as possible
Accept that there will be setbacks.
And answer this..if this were you what would you want your POA for health to decide for you?
Has she tried a daily capsule of the supplement D-Mannose? It has been magic for me. Was getting >4 infections a year, and none now for more than a decade. Recommended to 2 friends; worked for them as well. I am retired RN who doesn't even BELIEVE in vitamins or supplements, but I do believe in this. Powder or capsules. I use Source Natural from Amazon, about 30.00 for 120 capsules. Worth a try. Powder easier to swallow and tasteless. Works like cranberry, keeping bacteria from adhereing to bladder wall, but works better and without the acid.