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In partnership with Because.
There are a few things in life that hit you like a ton of bricks no matter how prepared you think you are – and for many older adults, incontinence is one of them. I know from personal experience. Even as the founder of a home health care agency, which made me very familiar with the fact that incontinence in some form is an absolute for almost everyone one day, when I had my first surprise bout of it, I quickly passed it off as a fluke.
Long story short: it wasn’t. The accident that struck one day while I sneezed mid-laundry folding was followed up by more and more – suddenly every deep cough or belly laugh became a minefield. Despite the compassion I’d felt for all of my clients struggling with this issue, when it was my turn (and only in my mid-fifties), I felt flooded by uneasiness and shame.
But not for long. As an active, athletic woman, I was determined to find a solution to all this walking on eggshells: underwear that would be agile enough to move with me but absorbent enough should an accident occur. Between the recommendations from my clients to my own discoveries, I tried everything – long pads, disposable diapers – only to find very quickly that just one product checked all my boxes. Just Because.
A NEW WAY FORWARD
As the maker of products ranging from multivitamin supplements to multiple mobility aids, Because specializes in meeting our ever-evolving needs throughout the aging process. Co-founders Alexi Suvacioglu and Luca Gualco, after one too many frustrating trips to the drug store on behalf of their older loved ones, saw an opportunity to deliver high-quality products directly to the families that needed them.
Intrigued by this premise, both for myself and for all of my clients, I ordered a trial pack of the brand’s Maximum and Overnight Underwears. Once that discreetly nondescript packaging arrived on my doorstep, I opened it to find pairs made from surprisingly soft material. As someone with sensitive skin, my biggest gripe with other brands was how scratchy and uncomfortable their underwear often was. Because is totally smooth by contrast, a first impression that earned big points in my book.
The brand’s attention to detail, like the Maximum underwear’s flesh-toned exterior color for ultimate discretion, is impressive overall. Still, absorbency was the real question here. Because assured me that its Overnight underwear could hold 6 cups of liquid – 37% more than other leading brands – a claim that seemed almost too good to be true. So to the sink I went.
TO THE TEST
Like in any good commercial for absorbent material, I poured six cups of liquid onto the Overnight Underwear myself – and wouldn’t you know it, they held every last drop. The Maximum underwear held four cups, much more than anyone would need from a daytime pair considering the human bladder only holds two.
Beyond impressed, I started wearing the Maximum underwear during my daily routine. They fit snugly, with side seams to prevent leakage, and crucially weren’t at all visible while I was wearing my snuggest exercise pants. Having the security of Because underwear, I realized I was more confident and my posture had changed from slumped over to standing tall. No more walking on eggshells: I was back to my old self again.
Having the security of Because underwear, I realized I was more confident and my posture had changed from slumped over to standing tall. No more walking on eggshells: I was back to my old self again.
While I was thrilled with my own success using the underwear, I wanted to see how they’d perform on someone with a more advanced case: a loved one of mine who has Parkinson’s and struggles with nighttime wetness. Fear of soiling the mattress was so ingrained in her that she often chose to sleep in her wheelchair for faster, easier, transfers in the middle of the night. Needless to say, it never made for a well-rested night for anyone.
With Parkinson’s, movements are often more rigid, making absorbency and fit even more key in choosing the right pair. Though there was some reluctance at first, I got our beloved to give Because a try: she agreed to wear the Overnight underwear to bed that same night. The next morning, she was relieved and delighted to find the underwear performed as promised: no leakage at all. Thanks to Because, she’s resumed sleeping in bed without concern, secure in the knowledge that each pair can carry her for hours if necessary – a quality of life increase that can’t be overstated.
BACK TO MY BEST SELF
Some products you might recommend because you like the packaging, or the price point hits your sweet spot. But the bladder protection underwear from Because means so much more to me than that: it’s allowed both me and a loved one to resume living life without fear. Laughing is no longer a cause for worry, nor is a once-dreaded sneeze. I’m back at the gym doing my normal routine and my loved one is finally getting a restful night’s sleep.
Because lets us live again, and most importantly, live with confidence. There’s no higher praise than that.
Five More Reasons To Love Because:
- The people have spoken: Because Market’s Overnight Underwear has over 10,000 five-star customer reviews.
- In addition to incontinence underwear, Because is your one-stop-shop for bladder control pads, bed protectors, and personal care products like cleansing wipes, barrier cream and no-rinse cleansing spray.
- Subscribe and save. Because offers 10% off with a subscription. Cancel or skip your order anytime. Plus, the brand offers a free Starter Pack!
- Because Market products are sensitive skin-friendly, latex and fragrance free, and urologist-recommended.
- These products are also FSA/HSA eligible.
