The impact of incontinence on an individual can be devastating in terms of a person’s ability to participate in many life areas, including the confidence to gain employment, or increased social isolation due to the stigma of being incontinent in public. In a recent study of intermittent catheter users, a participant was quoted stating: “If I had the choice to walk again or get back the use of my bowel and bladder, I would rather have the use of my bowel and bladder and use a wheelchair the rest of my life and never walk again”.
Until recently there has been limited opportunities for Australians to access the funding, they need to best meet their continence needs. With the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) the reimbursement landscape has shifted, providing an opportunity for participants to access the funding they need so that they can live a happy and fulfilling life with minimal interference from their incontinence.
University of Sydney recently conducted an NDIS participant survey and found that:
- Unless continence is actively raised by the participant or the planner it may completely missed all together. 25% of survey participants did not have continence raised during their planning meeting.
- Participants said: “I didn’t even know I could have included continence products on the plan” and “I would have appreciated more information about the different products available before my planning meeting”
- 40% of participants would like to make changes to their continence funding in their next NDIS meeting.
The Consumer Care team at TLC have more than 50 years experience within continence care and talk to more than 150+ people every day to help them make the right choices. The team guide participants in how to navigate the NDIS, by helping them prepare for their NDIS conversations, document the continence supports they need, and explore other continence solutions that may help them live a more active and rewarding life.
Reference
Wilde, MH, Brasch, J & Zhang, Y 2011, ‘A qualitative descriptive study of self-management issues in people with long-term intermittent urinary catheters’, Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 67, no. 6, pp. 1254-63.
Interview of 20 NDIS Participants.