Assessing toileting skills and habits in an adult day care center.

In a structured assessment of mobility and toileting skills, all the continent clients but only 46.2% of incontinent clients were able to toilet themselves, even with verbal and physical guidance. Unobtrusive observation of toileting habits indicated that incontinent clients used the toilet less often than continent clients and used more staff assistance to do so. On mental status examination, incontinent clients scored significantly lower than continent clients. Incontinence in this population is a multidimensional disorder in which physical disability is a predominant factor.