Final answer:
The older adult patient is likely experiencing stress incontinence, which occurs when weakened pelvic floor muscles lead to the loss of urine with increased abdominal pressure. Treatment usually involves strengthening exercises for the pelvic floor or surgery in more severe cases.
Step-by-step explanation:
If an older adult patient reports losing urine when she bends over or gets out of a chair, the type of incontinence she is most likely experiencing would be classified as stress incontinence. This condition is often due to weakened pelvic floor muscles which can occur from events such as childbirth, leading to the loss of support of the urethra. With stress incontinence, activities that increase abdominal pressure, like coughing, sneezing, or lifting, and in this case bending over or standing up, can cause small amounts of urine to leak.
Treatment for stress urinary incontinence may include pelvic floor exercises, such as Kegel exercises, to strengthen the muscles that help control urination. In more severe cases, surgery might be necessary to improve bladder support. It is important to differentiate this from urge incontinence, which involves an overactive bladder and sudden, intense urges to urinate that may not provide sufficient warning to reach a bathroom. Management of urge incontinence might involve medications to relax the bladder muscles.