Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsRisks with DementiaCathetersTreatmentPreventing UTIsDoes Cranberry Juice Help?Frequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Risks with Dementia
Catheters
Treatment
Preventing UTIs
Does Cranberry Juice Help?
Frequently Asked Questions
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Symptoms of a UTI in Dementia
When someone with dementia develops a UTI, it can be more difficult toidentify the signs. Because ofword-finding difficulty, the person might not be able to express an increase in discomfort or identify an increased need to urinate.
Often, people who havedementiaand who develop a UTI will experience significantbehavioral changes. Any infection can trigger delirium, and UTIs are a frequent cause of delirium in dementia. You might see the following symptoms of a UTI in someone with dementia:
Why Risks Are Higher With Dementia
Should Catheters Be Used?
Catheters historically have been thought of as a way to respond to problems with incontinence, but their use is not recommended unless absolutely medically necessary. The insertion of a catheter can introduce more bacteria into the urinary system and this increases the risk significantly for UTIs. A UTI that develops in someone using a catheter is called a Cather Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), and the medical community has worked hard to reduce these (often) preventable infections.
Catheters are appropriate for some conditions such as urinary retention, where someone is unable to completely empty their bladder, but they are not recommended without a specific medical condition that makes the necessary.
Most often, UTIs are treated with antibiotics. A sample of your urine is tested at a laboratory to identify which antibiotic is likely to be effective in treating it. Sometimes, healthcare providers will start you on one antibiotic and then change it to a different one after lab results are available.
“I Know My Mother Has a UTI. Why Are They Waiting to Treat It?”
One of the challenges in healthcare is managing the use of antibiotics. Historically, antibiotics have been overused, and this has resulted in an increase in infections that are resistant to typical antibiotics. In other words, the bacteria have grown stronger andthe usual antibiotics aren’t always effective.
It’s not unusual for a urine test of an older person to test positive for a UTI even if a person has no symptoms. In these cases, an antibiotic is not always needed, and over-prescribing them can trigger the bacteria to strengthen and become resistant, thus requiring stronger and stronger antibiotics.
In order to test for a UTI, many organizations such as nursing homes follow the McGreer Guidelines which require at least three of the following symptoms (fever, pain, increased confusion, change in urine appearance or odor, urgency or frequency) to be present before they will test and eventually order an antibiotic.These limitations were developed with the goal of using antibiotics wisely.
The following strategies can help decrease the chance that a person with dementia will develop a UTI:
Encouraging adequate fluids can help reduce the chance of UTIs.
The person with dementia may need some extra assistance with cleaning themselves and wiping properly after urinating or having a bowel movement. Additionally, after sex, women should be encouraged to urinate because of the increased risk of a UTI.
Holding your urine too long can increase the risk of a UTI.
Clothing that is too tight or underwear made from nylon as opposed to cotton can trap moisture and increase the risk.
Research has come up with different results on this question. Some studies have found a slight benefit of cranberry juice in reducing the risk of UTIs.Others have not found a difference when cranberry juice was ingested.You should check with your healthcare provider first before adding cranberry juice to your diet on a regular basis because it can interact with other medications such aswarfarin.
Frequently Asked QuestionsYes, a UTI can trigger behavioral changes and delirium in people with dementia. Any infection causes inflammation throughout the body. This often results in worsening dementia symptoms, including increased confusion and disorientation, changes in appetite and sleep, and an overall decline in functioning.Women are more prone to UTIs than men due to their urinary systems. Factors that contribute to UTIs in elderly females include incontinence, reduced mobility, chronic medical conditions (such as diabetes), and improper wiping techniques.Yes. Confusion and delirium related to urinary tract infections in elderly people will go away once the infection starts to clear up with antibiotics. Depending on the extent of the infection, it could take anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks for the UTI—and subsequent confusion—to go away.
Yes, a UTI can trigger behavioral changes and delirium in people with dementia. Any infection causes inflammation throughout the body. This often results in worsening dementia symptoms, including increased confusion and disorientation, changes in appetite and sleep, and an overall decline in functioning.
Women are more prone to UTIs than men due to their urinary systems. Factors that contribute to UTIs in elderly females include incontinence, reduced mobility, chronic medical conditions (such as diabetes), and improper wiping techniques.
Yes. Confusion and delirium related to urinary tract infections in elderly people will go away once the infection starts to clear up with antibiotics. Depending on the extent of the infection, it could take anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks for the UTI—and subsequent confusion—to go away.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Urinary tract infection.Enshaeifar S, Zoha A, Skillman S, et al.Machine learning methods for detecting urinary tract infection and analysing daily living activities in people with dementia.PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209909. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209909Geerlings SE.Clinical presentations and epidemiology of urinary tract infections.Microbiol Spectr. 2016;4(5). doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0002-2012Genao L, Buhr GT.Urinary tract infections in older adults residing in long-term care facilities.Ann Longterm Care. 2012;20(4):33–38.Stone ND, Ashraf MS, Calder J, et al.Surveillance definitions of infections in long-term care facilities: revisiting the McGeer criteria.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2012;33(10):965–977.Foxman B, Cronenwett AE, Spino C, Berger MB, Morgan DM.Cranberry juice capsules and urinary tract infection after surgery: results of a randomized trial.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2015;213(2):194.e1–194.e1948. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2015.04.003Gunnarsson AK, Gunningberg L, Larsson S, Jonsson KB.Cranberry juice concentrate does not significantly decrease the incidence of acquired bacteriuria in female hip fracture patients receiving urine catheter: a double-blind randomized trial.Clin Interv Aging. 2017;12:137–143. doi:10.2147/CIA.S113597Additional ReadingCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Healthcare-associated infection surveillance protocol for urinary tract infection (UTI) events for long-term care facilities.Cochrane.Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections.Liu LM.UTIs in nursing home residents: better diagnosis would reduce antibiotic overuse.Adv NPs PAs. 2012 Sep;3(9):25-6. PMID: 23002659.Morrill HJ, Caffrey AR, Jump RL, Dosa D, LaPlante KL.Antimicrobial stewardship in long-term care facilities: a call to action.J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2016 Feb;17(2):183.e1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2015.11.013NIH. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Bladder infection (urinary tract infection—UTI) in adults.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Urinary tract infection.Enshaeifar S, Zoha A, Skillman S, et al.Machine learning methods for detecting urinary tract infection and analysing daily living activities in people with dementia.PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209909. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209909Geerlings SE.Clinical presentations and epidemiology of urinary tract infections.Microbiol Spectr. 2016;4(5). doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0002-2012Genao L, Buhr GT.Urinary tract infections in older adults residing in long-term care facilities.Ann Longterm Care. 2012;20(4):33–38.Stone ND, Ashraf MS, Calder J, et al.Surveillance definitions of infections in long-term care facilities: revisiting the McGeer criteria.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2012;33(10):965–977.Foxman B, Cronenwett AE, Spino C, Berger MB, Morgan DM.Cranberry juice capsules and urinary tract infection after surgery: results of a randomized trial.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2015;213(2):194.e1–194.e1948. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2015.04.003Gunnarsson AK, Gunningberg L, Larsson S, Jonsson KB.Cranberry juice concentrate does not significantly decrease the incidence of acquired bacteriuria in female hip fracture patients receiving urine catheter: a double-blind randomized trial.Clin Interv Aging. 2017;12:137–143. doi:10.2147/CIA.S113597Additional ReadingCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Healthcare-associated infection surveillance protocol for urinary tract infection (UTI) events for long-term care facilities.Cochrane.Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections.Liu LM.UTIs in nursing home residents: better diagnosis would reduce antibiotic overuse.Adv NPs PAs. 2012 Sep;3(9):25-6. PMID: 23002659.Morrill HJ, Caffrey AR, Jump RL, Dosa D, LaPlante KL.Antimicrobial stewardship in long-term care facilities: a call to action.J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2016 Feb;17(2):183.e1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2015.11.013NIH. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Bladder infection (urinary tract infection—UTI) in adults.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Urinary tract infection.Enshaeifar S, Zoha A, Skillman S, et al.Machine learning methods for detecting urinary tract infection and analysing daily living activities in people with dementia.PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209909. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209909Geerlings SE.Clinical presentations and epidemiology of urinary tract infections.Microbiol Spectr. 2016;4(5). doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0002-2012Genao L, Buhr GT.Urinary tract infections in older adults residing in long-term care facilities.Ann Longterm Care. 2012;20(4):33–38.Stone ND, Ashraf MS, Calder J, et al.Surveillance definitions of infections in long-term care facilities: revisiting the McGeer criteria.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2012;33(10):965–977.Foxman B, Cronenwett AE, Spino C, Berger MB, Morgan DM.Cranberry juice capsules and urinary tract infection after surgery: results of a randomized trial.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2015;213(2):194.e1–194.e1948. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2015.04.003Gunnarsson AK, Gunningberg L, Larsson S, Jonsson KB.Cranberry juice concentrate does not significantly decrease the incidence of acquired bacteriuria in female hip fracture patients receiving urine catheter: a double-blind randomized trial.Clin Interv Aging. 2017;12:137–143. doi:10.2147/CIA.S113597
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Urinary tract infection.
Enshaeifar S, Zoha A, Skillman S, et al.Machine learning methods for detecting urinary tract infection and analysing daily living activities in people with dementia.PLoS One. 2019;14(1):e0209909. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209909
Geerlings SE.Clinical presentations and epidemiology of urinary tract infections.Microbiol Spectr. 2016;4(5). doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.UTI-0002-2012
Genao L, Buhr GT.Urinary tract infections in older adults residing in long-term care facilities.Ann Longterm Care. 2012;20(4):33–38.
Stone ND, Ashraf MS, Calder J, et al.Surveillance definitions of infections in long-term care facilities: revisiting the McGeer criteria.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2012;33(10):965–977.
Foxman B, Cronenwett AE, Spino C, Berger MB, Morgan DM.Cranberry juice capsules and urinary tract infection after surgery: results of a randomized trial.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2015;213(2):194.e1–194.e1948. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2015.04.003
Gunnarsson AK, Gunningberg L, Larsson S, Jonsson KB.Cranberry juice concentrate does not significantly decrease the incidence of acquired bacteriuria in female hip fracture patients receiving urine catheter: a double-blind randomized trial.Clin Interv Aging. 2017;12:137–143. doi:10.2147/CIA.S113597
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Healthcare-associated infection surveillance protocol for urinary tract infection (UTI) events for long-term care facilities.Cochrane.Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections.Liu LM.UTIs in nursing home residents: better diagnosis would reduce antibiotic overuse.Adv NPs PAs. 2012 Sep;3(9):25-6. PMID: 23002659.Morrill HJ, Caffrey AR, Jump RL, Dosa D, LaPlante KL.Antimicrobial stewardship in long-term care facilities: a call to action.J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2016 Feb;17(2):183.e1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2015.11.013NIH. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Bladder infection (urinary tract infection—UTI) in adults.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Healthcare-associated infection surveillance protocol for urinary tract infection (UTI) events for long-term care facilities.
Cochrane.Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections.
Liu LM.UTIs in nursing home residents: better diagnosis would reduce antibiotic overuse.Adv NPs PAs. 2012 Sep;3(9):25-6. PMID: 23002659.
Morrill HJ, Caffrey AR, Jump RL, Dosa D, LaPlante KL.Antimicrobial stewardship in long-term care facilities: a call to action.J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2016 Feb;17(2):183.e1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2015.11.013
NIH. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Bladder infection (urinary tract infection—UTI) in adults.
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