Living with incontinence

Managing every day life when you or the person you are caring for is affected by incontinence can be challenging, but with forward planning (and a little bit of trial and error), most people find a routine that allows them to live their life to the fullest.

If you have just been diagnosed with incontinence, you're probably feeling anxious and overwhelmed about how to manage those occassional accidents. The Continence Foundation of Australia recommends working with a continence professional to explore different options to suit your needs, and come up with a tailored plan that supports your lifestyle.

Finding a routine can often take time, and involve a lot of trial and error, which may make you feel frustrated at times, but it is important to persist, as advances in new treatments and products mean that there are many options available to you.

When planning for every day life with incontinence it may be worth considering the following scenarios / situations:

relationships, intimacy and sex
home life
work life
social outings
exercise and sport, and
travel.

How you plan for each of these scenarios / situations may be different, but some simple strategies to consider include:

knowing how long you will be out and making sure you have enough products (including cleaning and odour neutralising products and a spare set of clothes, in case of an accident) with you
finding out where the closest toilets are and how accessible these are to you (see the National Public Toilet Map)
altering your diet and fluids if these impact your symptoms, and
testing any new strategies at home, so that you don't get caught out in a social situation.

For a confidential discussion with a continence nurse advisor, including tips for everyday living, or the details of local continence professionals or product suppliers, contact the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66.