Incontinence Guide
Our guide to incontinence. Independence Australia has the health tips, tricks and advice for your unique needs and requirements with incontinence and continence care.
Managing, Understanding & Living With Incontinence
Mental health & incontinence – how to manage after a diagnosis
A diagnosis of incontinence issues can trigger several emotions and feelings. If left unchecked, these can have a significant impact on one’s quality of life. Fortunately, there are many strategies that can help you to manage the changes which have occurred to your unique continence needs.
Incontinence Quick Guide
We have taken only the best incontinence health tips and tricks from across our health professional knowledge base to help you manage your unique continence needs.
Your guide to caring for someone with continence needs
Supporting a family member or friend with incontinence or continence needs can be confronting. Our professionals have collated a list of financial assistance services such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme or Continence Aids Payment which can assist you in supporting someone with incontinence or continence needs.
Link between diabetes and incontinence
There are various indicators to support the link between diabetes and incontinence. Our health experts have collated the primary health factors specific to type 2 diabetes that can also cause incontinence.
Independence Australia’s Continence Aids Shopping
Independence Australia are specialists in incontinence aids, products, care and solutions to support your unique incontinence needs. We stock a wide range of supplies for incontinence which we can deliver to your door, Australia-wide.
Our online store offers;
- Free delivery on all orders over $50
- Australia-wide delivery
- Discreet packaging
Understanding Incontinence
Our healthcare professionals have put together a dedicated incontinence glossary to help explain the common terms associated with continence and incontinence.
Selecting the right incontinence pad
If you are experiencing bladder or bowel leakage, you will need the right pad or pant to draw moisture away from the skin and keep your skin dry and rash free.
The correct incontinence pad or pant product can be selected by following our simple steps.
Exercising with incontinence
When living with incontinence, your workout routine may be impacted by leakage due to the strain which often accompanies exercise. However, exercising with continence needs can be achieved. Our health professional team have put together a range of exercises to both avoid and embrace when incontinent.
Continence Products for Bladder & Bowel Health
Independence Australia’s Catheter Comparison Chart
Incontinence: A Complete Guide
Your Incontinence Questions Answered
What’s the difference between Continence and Incontinence?
Continence is the ability to control bladder and bowel movements. Incontinence is the involuntary loss of bladder or bowel control. Check out our article on the difference between incontinence and continence for a full description.
What is incontinence?
Incontinence describes any involuntary loss of urine from the bladder, or any faeces or flatus from the bowel and affects men, women and children of all ages, background, and physical ability. People can experience different types of incontinence including stress incontinence, urge incontinence, overflow incontinence, functional incontinence, and mixed incontinence.
There are many products that have been developed to help make incontinence manageable including pads, bedding protection equipment, Children’s nappies and accessories, swimwear, and washable products. Identifying which type of incontinence you are experiencing is the first step to finding the right treatment.
Types of incontinence?
Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the most common type of incontinence and can range from an occasional leak when coughing, sneezing, or laughing, to a full loss of bladder functionality. Urinary incontinence can affect people of all ages and is common in pregnant women.
Faecal incontinence
Faecal incontinence (previously known as encopresis) describes leakage from the bowel due to involuntary bowel movements. Faecal incontinence can be caused from:
- Severe diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Weak pelvic floor muscles
- Medications eg. Antibiotics
- Nerve disorders
- Bowel disease eg. Crohn’s disease
What financial assistance is available to help manage the cost of incontinence products?
There are many national and state based funding schemes designed to assist with the costs of incontinence.
1) National Disability Insurance Scheme & Consumable Incontinence products
Supporting eligible Australians with a significant or permanent disability, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is used to help its participants to identify and achieve goals. There are many support categories within the NDIS, including Core Supports which offers the option to purchase NDIS consumables such as incontinence products and aids.
2) Continence Aids Payment Scheme
Developed by the Australian Government as a means to assist those with the financial costs associated with severe or permanent incontinence needs.
Other Funding Help For Continence Care
Dependent on your needs, you may be eligible for financial assistance through one of the additional funding schemes available.