“She’s just not acting like herself”.
“All of a sudden, she got really mean and agitated. It’s not like her at all”.
“Can someone get Alzheimer’s overnight?”

These are the kinds of things I hear all the time. After making sure there’s not something serious going on like a stroke (click here to find out signs of stroke) it is important to check for a UTI (urinary tract infection).

These insidious infections show up in strange disguises in our senior population. Irritability, increased confusion, and weakness that just ‘shows up’ all of a sudden should alert you to the possibility of a UTI.

You’ll say, “Shouldn’t there be pain and burning on urination? A fever? Pain in the lower abdomen?” Sometimes yes, but very often, none of the above occur in the elderly. It has to do with their immune system not recognizing and/or being able to mount an adequate response to the infection. Instead, we are left scratching our heads when our loved one just becomes someone else, seemingly overnight.

Testing

A UTI is diagnosed by a simple urine test. It’s easy to do this test at home. Many times there is no need to drag your senior into the lab. Here’s what you need to do:

Call the doctor and request an “order for urinalysis” at a diagnostic lab (Lab Corp etc). Ask them to send it to the nearest lab that they are associated with that is covered by your senior’s insurance and is local to you. Many times there is not a need to travel far to a specific lab for this simple test.

You will need a sterile urine sample cup. You can run over to the physician’s office, the lab or your local drug store and pick one up. They are also available on Amazon. Grab a few – often times UTI can reoccur and it’s good to have the cups on hand.

• Snap-on some gloves and help your loved one get a good sample of urine – about 1/8 cup will do (30ml).
• A urine collection “hat” can be very helpful when trying to get a sample. Just make sure the “hat” is extremely clean before using.
• Close it up nice and tight, label with name/date and doctor’s name.
• Place it in a paper or plastic bag and you’re off to the lab.
• If the doc has placed the order with the lab, all you have to do is give the patient’s name, hand in the sample, and they will test it.
• If positive, the doc will order antibiotics.

Prevention:
Some people swear by cranberry juice. It is believed that cranberry has properties that make the urine a lest hospitable environment for infection to develop. There are also cranberry supplements available over the counter.

If your loved one has recurring UTI’s talk with their doctor about preventative medications that might help. Sometimes a referral to a urologist is necessary and important.

And of course encourage your loved one to….

• Stay hydrated! Increase water intake = increased urination = a good idea.
• Wipe from front to back! It’s hard to stay infection free when you live next door to the germ factory. Encourage your loved one to be very careful to avoid co-mingling germs from the back door with the infection susceptible front door.
• Don’t hold it – when you gotta go – go! As urine sits in the bladder, infectious cells can multiply. The toilet is your friend.
• Bidet’s are making a huge comeback and people are getting great results. Many are easy to attach to your existing toilet, and they are much more hygienic and easy to use.