Jump to: Types of adult diapersBest BriefsBest Pull-upsBest Pads
This is one of those search terms you probably never thought you’d be Googling, until one day it became suddenly necessary – “suddenly” being the operative word here.
Hunting down the best adult diaper for an aging parent is definitely up there on the list of ways to prove you’re a great son or daughter. (Be sure to mention that to your own children if you enjoy a good reaction…)
Like everything we discuss here at Harriet’s Home, we’ll try to make this as informative as possible without taking ourselves to seriously, because who has time for that when talking about incontinence?!
Let’s get to it!
Types of adult diapers
Briefs
Briefs follow pretty much the same design as a typical diaper. They have an hour-glass shape and are secured around the waist by connecting the front and back with sticky tabs on either side. They typically come in plastic or cloth.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups are the closest thing to regular underwear. As the name suggests, they’re simply pulled up from around the feet. There’s no need for sticky tabs as the waist is elastic.
Reusable
If you’re loved one one has light incontinence, they may be able to get away with using a reusable adult diaper. These are made from cloth and can be easily washed. The only difference between these and regular underwear is that they contain an absorbent pad.
Pads
Pads are a great solution for those dealing with light to moderate urinary incontinence. Just to be extra clear here – these are not intended for bowel incontinence. They simply attach to the inside of your regular underwear.
Booster pads
Booster pads are similar to standard pads in the way they look, except that they’re designed to work in conjunction with a diaper. They’re meant to ‘boost’ the capacity of standard briefs or pull-ups to ensure no leakages occur and to allow the wearer to go for prolonged periods of time without having to change.
Best Adult Diapers
Briefs
Molicare premium briefs are touted as being one of the top choices for adults dealing with incontinence. They’re a brief-style adult diaper designed for both men and women and offer a great deal of comfort and protection against both urinary and bowel incontinence.
These things are very absorbant. They’re rated for roughly 26 oz, which, depending on the regularity of the person wearing it, should last roughly 6 to 8 hours! This extended protection make these briefs great for nighttime wear.
Each side features two adhesive strips for extra security and are designed to be easily refastened to ensure the briefs are properly positioned.
The back portion of these adult diapers feature a plastic cover which provides an extra layer of security. Unlike other briefs that contain plastic, this cover offers a bit of stretch, which allows for full range of movement and adds even more comfortability.
These briefs are also built for comfort, which makes a huge difference in ensuring your loved ones stay active. Both the front and back wings feature extra padding, which provide additional absorption.
The only thing to note is that these briefs run a tad small. I’d recommend going for a size larger than your parent is used to just in case.
These are by far the most absorbable briefs you’ll find. They claim to have a capacity of 2 to 3 liters – which quite frankly I’d rather not test out, so I’ll just take them for their word on this.
Due to the high capacity of these adult diapers, they are a bit on the larger side, which makes them slightly harder to conceal. This also leads to a bit of a crinkle sound while walking, but it’s very subtle, especially while wearing tighter clothing.
On the flip side, their high capcity makes them extremely well suited for overnight protection. Your parents will easily be able to sleep through the night without worrying about leaks.
If complete discreetness isn’t an issue for your parent, these briefs will definitely provide a great deal of comfort throughout the day. While they’re all-together larger than most other diapers, they still fit snuggly. This helps to prevent and rubbing or chaffing. They also are very effective at drawing moisture away from the body into what they have dubbed they “3D-Core”.
Like most of the other adult diapers recommended here, these briefs provide pH neutralization and odor control, helping to maintain comfort and peace of mind while if an accident should occur.
While they claim to have refastenable tabs, there have been complaints of the diaper tearing when trying to do so. Your mileage may vary.
Oh, and one more thing regarding their sizing. Since these do run a bit larger than other brands, you’ll probably want to get a size smaller than your parent typically gets. Here’s a quick chart for refrence:
Pull-Ups
Abena Abri-Flex Premium Protective Underwear
Unlike the previous two adult diapers, these ones made by Abena are the pull-up style. These are a lot easier to get on, especially if your loved one is doing so by themself. No sticky fasteners are needed – the waist is elastic so they stay in place.
If your parent is suffering from dementia and requires more focused care, these pull-ups are probably your best solution. Along with odor protection, they also include a wetness indicator that makes it easy to figure out if the diaper needs to be changed.
These things also fit wonderfully. They’re very soft on the skin and don’t contain any plastic. This also ensure they have virtually no cinkle sound, which makes them perfect for day-time use. The inside of each leg opening also contains as a cuff to prevent leakages.
37oz capacity.
Tranquility Premium OverNight Disposable Underwear
Another great pull-up style adult diaper. In fact, at the time of this write-up, these adult diapers had the most 5-star reviews on Amazon.
Tranquility markets these pull-ups for overnight wear, but there’s really no reason why your parents couldn’t wear them during the day. They provide a 20 to 34 oz capacity, depending on size, and are suitable for both men and women.
Unlike the Abena pull-ups, these have tear-away sides that makes them super easy to remove.
They also provide inner leg cuffs to ensure no leakage.
Pads
Abena Abri-San Premium Incontinence Pads
When used alone, these pads from Abena offer great protection for urinary incontinence. They can also be placed inside briefs or pull-ups to provide unmatched protection against any type of incontinence.
They’re super absorbant, with a capacity of roughly 800 ml. They are rather large however, measuring 8.2” wide by 17.3” long. That being said, they’re very soft and comfortable to wear. Discreet, quite and breathable – you really can’t go wrong with these if all you’re dealing with is urinary incontinence.
Tranquility Disposable Booster Pads
Booster pads allow you to increase the capacity of a standard adult diaper, giving your loved ones more peace of mind and allowing them to go on with their day for longer periods of time.
There’s really one booster pad I’m going to recommend here, simply because they’re all roughly the same and there’s no reason to spend more than necessary.
Tranquility (the same brand that makes the suggested overnight pull-ups mentioned above), offers a highly absorbent booster pad for pennies on the dollar. These things are actually designed for bowel incontinence, which will help you upgrade practically any other brief of pull-up for full protection.
There’s no actual sticky strip on these to attach to a diaper. You just place it inside before putting them on, and they really do stay in place.
Like pretty much every product discussed here, these booster pads act as a pH neutralizer. This is going to be particullarily important if your mom or dad plans on wearing their briefs for long periods of time, as it’ll help keep the skin from getting irritated.
If you’re planning on being out and about for long periods of time, definitely look into getting some booster pads. They’ll keep your parents comfortable and confident.