urinary infections

[Whangerai]

Why is it that when elderly people get urinary infections it affects them mentally? My wife works in a care home and she tells me that the elderly often "lose the plot" when they get such an infection. She says that often they are "away with the fairies" and that can be an indicator of a urinary infection.

[ganesh]

Must say I've never heard of that.
Old people in homes have often lost the plot,and old people often suffer from bladder weakness and infections,
can't see a connection,unless they display their 'away with the fairies charachteristics' a bit more because they are fretful or in pain!

[Schutzengel]

Urinary infections in the elderly are usually triggered by dehydration because they don't drink sufficient fluid. It seems that the dehydration and infection combined quickly bring on a state of confusion in the healthy elderly, and is sometimes not quite so obvious in a person who already suffers from dementia. In either case rapid treatment with antibiotics resolves the problem. Although in the case of persons with dementia, this original diagnosis remains but is brought back to the level it was before the infection. Your wife is obviously well trained in the care of elderly persons in residential care, and so is able to quickly realise what the problem is, and obtain the correct care for the person. It's a pity that in many care homes the staff are not so well trained, with the resulting poor care for the sufferer. My friend who is 105yrs old and is in residential care, recently had an episode of urinary infection, which resulted in him becoming very confused indeed. This was quickly spotted, and a course of antibiotics soon brought him back to his usual state of clarity of mind. Thank heavens there are people like your wife around to care for such people, when they need it most. Best wishes. Schutz.

[Razzle09]

Urinary tract infections are common in older people in homes for a number of reasons - dehydration - this is sometimes due to the raised ambient temperature in homes. Because a number of elderly people cannot walk, make it to the kitchen they are unable to hydrate themselves adequately. In addition those individuals with heart conditions maybe on a dieuretic and uninary output in increased.
Any infection wether it's urninary or otherwise can effect people mentally (look at babies) irrespective of age.

Keep the liquids flowing..

[ganesh]

In the 2 care homes I have seen,admittedley they are 'dementia' homes,they seem to be forever drinking cups of tea!
I wasn't aware of this problem at all and I'm glad I know now. My mother-in-law is in one.I hope all care home staff are trained to spot this. You do tend to put all your faith in them and it is a worry.

[LoftyLottie2]

I think all care home workers are made aware of this fact during their training. It is common knowledge that urinary infections can affect the elderly mentally.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/seniorshealth/2 04587.html

[RATTER15]

I am a senior carer in a residential home specialising in dementia, we see cases of UTI,s fairly often, this is often due to not drinking enough, not cleaning themselves sufficiently ofter using the toilet and often because they wear incontinent pads which obviously holds the contents of bowel and bladder in close proximity to the urinary tract. Not all the elderly suffer from "losing the Plot" with UTI's but it is common, they can go from being totally sane to having hallucinations and behaving very strangely indeed, I believe this is caused by bacteria and chemical leeching into the blood stream and going to the brain. A course of anti biotics usually brings the problem under control with no lasting affects.