Management of urinary incontinence in geriatric hospitals

Urinary incontinence (UI) is one of the most common urologic conditions that afflict the elderly in a rapidly aging world. The prevalence of UI increases in both sexes as aging progresses. Additionally, the prevalence of UI is higher in patients of nursing facilities, including geriatric hospitals and sanatoriums, than in the general population because most of them have chronic diseases such as dementia and stroke that can cause neurogenic bladder dysfunction. UI in nursing facilities is often overlooked or neglected, as it may be regarded as a natural part of the aging process. However, UI can have significant negative impacts on self-esteem and has been associated with increased rates of depression. UI also affects quality of life and activities of daily living. In many cases, treating UI can improve patients' quality of life and reduce the costs associated with UI itself and its complications. For this purpose, the initial assessment of patients entering a nursing home should include an item on UI, and when a patient exhibits UI, it should be treated as an important disease. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the causes, classification, evaluation, and management of geriatric UI in nursing facilities.