A Case Study of Eliminating Urinary Tract Infections for an Elderly Woman with Frequent Recurring UTIs

Abstract

This case study concerns an 84-year-old woman who suffered three UTIs in quick succession after not having had one in over a year. Rather than dealing with these infections once they appeared, it was decided to try and determine what was causing them and then treat this cause. The patient had an over-active bladder and wore incontinence protection to bed at night. One possible cause was infection that could develop from the patient sleeping in soiled incontinence protection. The patient was instructed to shower before going to bed at night and upon arising in the morning. Once this routine was established, the UTIs disappeared. At this writing, the patient has not had a UTI for six months. This success suggests the importance of incontinent women washing before bed and after waking up. For bed ridden patients, or patients in long-term care facilities where daily showers are not possible, perhaps using wet wipes after each bowel movement will also prevent UTIs from occurring.