Constipation in Older Adults

23 May 2016

Constipation in Older Adults

Constipation is very common especially in older adults and can affects between 20% - 40% of older adults. Many people look to medications and laxatives for relief, but these medications can have adverse effects on your body.  Take a look below at some ways you can treat constipation without the use of drugs or medications. What is Constipation? Constipation is a condition influenced by physical, psychological, physiologic, emotional and environmental factors. It affects women about twice as often as men. People have differing perceptions of constipation. Their definition of constipation can range from experiencing hard stools to not having a bowel movement every day. Constipation is medically defined as infrequent defecation often associated with hard stool, dysfunctional emptying that can include excessive straining, a sensation of incomplete evacuation, and/or the need for digital/manual evacuation. Causes of constipation include lack of physical activity, insufficient dietary fiber intake and poor fluid intake.  Certain medications can also cause constipation. Dietary Changes Your first choice should be to look at your dietary habits and see if you can make some small changes to help.   Insufficient fluid and fiber intake significantly contributes to constipation. The recommended amount of daily fiber intake is 25 grams. The recommended amount of daily fluid intake is eight to ten, 8-ounce glasses. Eating fruits and vegetables is an easy way to increase the amount of fiber and fluid ingested. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of water and fiber. Making fruits and vegetables into soups and juices or incorporating more often into recipes is a great way to increase fiber and water intake. Adding whole grains to the diet also increases fiber intake. Lifestyle Modifications Changing dietary habits is only part of the constipation challenge. The next intervention is retraining the body to have bowel movements. The first step is providing a clean, comfortable and private area to have the bowel movement.The optimal position for evacuation is leaning forward with forearms resting on thighs, shoulders relaxed, and the feet placed on a footstool.This position helps open up the bowels. It is also recommended that you don’t strain and you should instead inhale and breathe out normally, avoiding holding the breath. You should brace the abdomen by widening the waist, then engage the abdominal oblique muscles, pushing downward and backward into the rectum. Then you should pause for 1 second, then push again and repeat this pump action, keeping the abdomen braced throughout.With these techniques, you should feel more comfortable when attempting to have a bowel movement, which then makes them more successful. Attention to technique and environment is not the only lifestyle modification necessary to have successful bowel movements. The next step is to establish set times during the day to attempt to have a bowel movement; for example, optimal times for a bowel movement are after each meal, exercise, bathing, or any other daily activity. Daily Exercise Daily exercise is another lifestyle modification that is essential to constipation treatment. Physical activity exercising 20 minutes three times a week helps minimize constipation. If you suffer from constipation or faecal incontinence do take a look at our Incontinence UK range of incontinence products to help with bowel movements. Best Wishes Incontinence UK Team www.incontinenceuk.co.uk