[Urinary function integrity in the elderly person]

How can nurses help preserve the integrity of elimination in the elderly? Further, what new perspectives must they bring to practice? First, health professionals must rid themselves of their misconceptions, especially the belief that incontinence is "normal" in the aging process. The authors provide avenues for reflection and action, with a view to arriving at a dynamic clinical practice focusing on quality of life and the well-being of the individual. In terms of new perspectives, nurses are encouraged to stop limiting themselves to assisting with personal hygiene because this deprives the client of possible recourse to a better adaptation. Nurses must no longer dispense comfort by reassuring the incontinent person that "there's no harm done". This message ignores the real-life experience associated with the problem and reinforces the idea of normality. Assessment of the client's condition must go beyond the superficial and instead target interventions that lead to a resolution. Updating the caregiver's and the client's knowledge, enhancing the nurse's role in prevention and treatment, combining various approaches to care and improving communication are good places to start.