Managing urinary incontinence with self-care practices.

1. Older people living in the community often describe incontinence as an unpleasant nuisance, something to be managed but seldom talked about. Few of the respondents in this study limited their activities because of incontinence. 2. The respondents managed incontinence using a variety of self-care practices, including commercial and homemade pads, fluid restriction, and toileting routines. 3. Nurses had little, if any, impact on the experience of incontinence for these respondents. It is important for older people to have access to knowledgeable health-care professionals and appropriate strategies and products.