My aunt is in the memory unit at an assisted living facility. She is constantly having UTI's to the point her PCP keeps her on an antibiotic. When she gets the UTI, she is unpleasant - sometimes aggressive, cannot hold her folk because of shaking, and is more unsteady walking than usual. She now has to wear depends. I'm not sure the facility is keeping her clean. They bathe twice a week. Not sure they are checking her depends enough and that she stays moist. Most employees are not nurses. It's frustrating because she will start acting out and start shaking and the facility "sends her out" which means they call 911 and she's on the way to the hospital ER when we are notified. Go to the hospital and spend 6 - 7 hours to be told she has UTI. No other problems found. Doesn't it look like the facility would recognize the symptoms and call her doctor before calling 911. Has anyone else dealt with this? Any suggestions?
"Older adults are more vulnerable to UTIs, because as we age, we tend to have weaker muscles in our bladder and pelvic floor that can cause urine retention or incontinence. Whenever the urine stays in the urinary tract, there’s a potential for bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, or E. coli, to multiply and cause an infection to spread.
Other factors that increase the risk of UTIs in seniors are a weakened immune system, the use of catheters to empty the bladder, diabetes and kidney problems.
Older women have UTIs more often than older men because of the female anatomy and lower estrogen. Women produce lower amounts of estrogen after menopause. This can create an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the vagina, which can lead to infection.
Other causes are due to aging inflammation in the vagina, such as atrophic vaginitis and fallen bladders producing impaired urine flow..."
Source: https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/better-me/the-risk-of-utis-as-you-age
I myself was having frequent bladder infections at one period with no know reason, and was helped by a daily d-mannose pill; not a great believer in supplements and vitamins, this is the one I swear by and take to this day as it is now decades since I have had an infection. As a nurse I already knew good hygiene, and there was no incontinence, so who knows the reason; my doc and I could never figure it out.
About all we here can do is wish you well. The ALF is doing the correct thing by sending your Aunt for care, as she is prone now to sepsis. You already are aware of the mentation changes that can occur.
It is worth a visit to a urologist at this point to get as good a checkup as she is able. This is hard to live with and I am sorry she is going through it. I wish I had more to offer, but the D-mannose is worth a try at least. It works much like cranberry juice in keeping bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall apparently. Wish you luck.
I know dad is a different gender, but he has also been on prophylactic antibiotics and still got UTIs - he also has a catheter which can complicate.
I would try getting an appt with a urologist and in the meantime try the supplement,
best wishes to you and your aunt
Regarding catheter:
Some doctors give antibiotics no matter what, but it’s sometimes unnecessary and only hurts the stomach (antibiotics have side-effects). In addition, some people in the urine have a combination of resistant and non-resistant bacterias. In other words, antibiotics will never kill the resistant ones.
I know someone with a catheter: hence non-stop UTIs. But, the doctor explained, as long as there are no symptoms, don’t treat the UTI. Not every UTI needs to be treated.
Sometimes the person was very weak, no fever, didn’t want to get up from bed: signs that the infection is increasing.
Sometimes, the doctor just prescribed: drink more water!
And the doctor was right. A few hours later, the person was already OK.
Sometimes (stronger UTI), the doctor prescribed antibiotics: some days later OK.
Also keep in mind:
drinking lots of water every day helps prevent UTIs.