Can having a foley cause incontinence in an elderly person?

Not generally: Having a Foley catheter to drain the urine from the bladder usually prevents incontinence. Occasionally, the bladder has spasms because of the catheter and urine can leak around the catheter; medications can help prevent this. Also, sometimes if a Foley has been in a while and is then removed. Incontinence can occur because the bladder is not used to holding so much urine.

At times: There are different types of incontinence and under the right conditions many of them can be worsened by a catheter.