Objective: this study sought to determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in a group of senior citizens in Sabaneta, Colombia, and to identify some risk factors, clinical characteristics, and self-care practices. Methodology: a cross-sectional study was conducted where a survey was applied to a sample of 123 seniors belonging to a program that the Municipality offers its inhabitants. The information was processed in SPSS version 17 and descriptive analysis was done. In order to identify the risk factors, the OR was calculated as a measure of association, with its respective confidence intervals at 95%, it was considered statistically significant if the value of p was below 0.05. Results: the prevalence of UI found was of 25.2%; 38.7% was classified as effort UI, 32.3% as urge UI and 29.0% as mixed UI. The risk factors that presented statistical significance included frequent urinary and vaginal infection and family history of UI. In 29% of cases, individuals suffered from skin irritation, while 19.4% of individuals struggled with feelings of inferiority. The most common care used included the use of comfortable clothing (64%) and the use of absorbent pads (54.8%). Seventy-one per cent have not consulted the doctor for UI. Conclusions: we evidenced a high frequency of the problem, its passive tolerance, and its repercussions on the quality of life, which reveals the need for in-depth study of this topic in order to improve care offered by health personnel.