Mom (91) gets UTI infections at least three times a year. Most of the time she says she has no symptoms but I can tell you that dizziness, weakness, falling and confusion are huge symptoms. She fell the other day and doesn't remember what happened. She said she had no symptoms of a UTI but test confirmed she did. She was a little dizzy the day before but it passed. The next day she fell. I was just wondering if there are any home test that mighte indicat she needs to see her doctor for confirmation?
What you need to do is try to prevent them. If Mom is not incontinent then switch her to cotton panties if using other material ones. Make sure she voids completely. By having her sit a little longer till she gets the urge again helps. Also leaning forward. That she is cleaning herself well, using wipes after a BM. Don't use soap near her urethra. My Mom was on a regiment of cranberry tablets and a probiotic daily. In the year before her death, she had not one UTI. Alva, an RN, swears by D-Mannose to prevent them. But the manufacture claims it may help clear one up.
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How about a little cranberry juice in the morning. My mother had the same problem during the Pandemic, back-to-back, it was awful. I couldn't tell if it was the Dementia progressing or the UTI. After several bouts of antibiotics, when it cleared, you have to wait for their baseline to assess their behavior/symptoms.
Too many of the same antibiotics, after a while the elderly become immune to them; basically they are of no help. It's also important not to mix certain antibiotics with other meds.
Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice the regular kind works for my mother. The "pure" mother did NOT like. Drinking water daily, white "cotton" underwear briefs and not sitting for too long can all help to prevent a UTI.
When the elderly get a UTI, it's harder for them to fight off infection. It can wreak havoc on their system and can be mistaken for other diseases.
I hope I was of some help to you.
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