Background: Urinary incontinence is a complex public health problem for older adults both in Sweden and internationally. It is estimated that 50-80% of older adults in residential care facility have problems with urinary incontinence. Several studies illuminate staffs’ attitudes that incontinence is as a natural consequence of aging, which means that assessment and treatment are overlooked. There is also a lack of knowledge and compliance in relation to whether care staff is followed guidelines or not. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to describe staffs’ experiences of the management of older adults with urinary incontinence in residential care facility.  

Methods: The design was explorative with an inductive approach with 17 individual interviews. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: The analysis led to following three categories: Staffs’ management; The organization’s impact; and Creating wellbeing factors for older adults with urinary incontinence. The staff had different views of what an investigation is and what measures are needed to be done. To achieve a good individual patient care there is need of a greater knowledge about good nursing, communication and dialogue between the various working groups.  

Conclusions: Staffs’ management, the organization’s impact, and creating wellbeing factors are central to older adults’ influence and to experience quality of life. Implementing an evidence-based practice requires a long-term process-focused approach in order to improve the structure of daily work and to encourage staffs’ learning and competence development.