COPD Caregiver POV: Female Catheter

As we age, our bladder loses the ability to hold urine for long periods. If we also have COPD, we are prone to limited mobility and a higher infection risk. Devices like this one are helpful when we need additional assistance.

A solution for COPD challenges

COPD made it hard for mom to get up and navigate her way to the bathroom in the middle of the night due to her limited mobility. As her condition became more bedbound, we found a solution that allowed her to conserve her energy and bring both of us peace of mind.

My mom had been admitted to the hospital for weakness and a nasty fall, and her pulse ox levels were sitting in the 70's. It also turned out that she was in the throes of a horrible urinary tract infection that was causing her to be septic. 

The nurses had started using a product called the Purewick external female catheter while we were in the ER. This allowed my mom to conserve her energy and remain dry.

The product has a medical-grade cotton and soft plastic that gently gets laid between the folds and is not inserted. This 'banana' shaped wick is then connected to a plastic tube and suction device that gently suctions the liquid that comes in contact with the wick. 

The urine is then suctioned into a receptacle. The use of the PureWick system in the hospital gave my Mom time to regain her strength and maintain her dignity by not having to spend the day soaked in urine or begging not to have to use a bed pan every time she had to urinate. 

If you ever have had a  UTI, you know that you need to urinate constantly! This system was the hero of that hospital stay.

Managing nighttime safety

My mom was able to use the unit when she came home from rehab on hospice care. She used the system constantly.

On average, we went through 2-3 wicks a day. For home use, the motor's suction is not as strong as the hospital suction devices in the walls. You will notice that it does not catch 100% of the urine. But I would say that it catches roughly 80- 90% of the urine. Wearing a pull-up and lying or sitting on a mattress pad or incontinence pad are useful as well.

One of the pros of using one of these for the COPD female patient is that it allows your loved one to reduce fall risk by getting up at night/in the dark to use the bathroom and allowing your loved one to conserve energy when they are recovering from illness or surgery, or if they have decreased mobility.

Overall, the PureWick at-home female external catheter system was the right choice for my mom. As the COPD caregiver, it provided me peace of mind that she would not get up in the middle of the night and fall trying to get to the bathroom, and it made the process of keeping my mom dry and clean a lot easier for both of us.    

As my mom was progressing in her end-stage COPD journey in hospice care in my home, we elected to switch to a Foley catheter, which was internal. She was on the foley for the last 2 weeks of her life. 

It was a decision she asked the nurse for. A full circle moment: from diapers to depends.