Continence Health Australia has developed a program called My Continence Care™ that has been specifically designed for the Residential Aged Care direct care workforce.
My Continence Care aims to improve the knowledge and skills of the direct care aged workforce to provide holistic, quality continence support beyond toileting and continence aids.
Learn more about My Continence Care in the page below:
Introducing My Continence Care
In 2022, Continence Health Australia secured a Commonwealth Standard Grant Agreement from the Department of Health and Ageing to develop a best practice model for continence care. This initiative addresses the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Through extensive research and consultations with the aged care sector, as well as discussions with Victorian Registered Training Organisations and tertiary institutions, we identified a significant gap in the training of the aged care workforce regarding bladder and bowel health support.
While existing Certificate III and IV programs cover basic toileting and the use of continence aids, they do not encompass the comprehensive, person-centred approach essential for effective continence care. Consequently, newly certified staff often acquire this vital knowledge only through on-the-job experience.
Bridging the gap
To bridge this gap, Continence Health Australia has launched My Continence Care a specialised program tailored for the residential aged care direct care workforce. This innovative program aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of staff, enabling them to provide holistic continence support that goes beyond the basics of toileting and the use of aids.
Our non-clinical training program equips the aged care workforce with the tools to deliver individualised, dignified, and person-centred continence care to residents in aged care facilities.
The eLearning module features relatable characters, Pearl and Frank, guiding learners through their journey moving into residential care. The module includes Continence Convos, which foster peer-to-peer learning through real-life scenarios, encouraging staff to share effective strategies for optimising continence care delivery.
Why choose My Continence Care?
My Continence Care focuses on embedding the "what, why, and how" of person-centred continence care within the training. While current educational practices outline themes, our program provides practical, relatable examples and scenarios that are easily transferable to everyday care practices.
Feedback from a Pilot Partner:
"The online module was anything but typical continence training. After almost 20 years in aged care, I've never experienced a session like this. It reminded me of the core human and empathetic factors we often overlook in our busy routines. The module encourages reflection on how we communicate sensitive issues like toileting and continence care with the individuals we support."
— My Continence Care Champion, Rural VIC
My Continence Care Pilot
Third-party consultants completed an evaluation of the My Continence Care highlighting the pilot project was highly successful in achieving its objectives. Feedback regarding the My Continence Care pilot identified that overall, participants and Champions overwhelmingly reported that participants are better at implementing best practice, dignified, person-centred continence care.
A Case Study
During pilot at a large residential aged care facility with over 100 direct care staff, My Continence Care was put to the test. Despite having an established mandatory training calendar and a contract for complementary training on incontinence management, staff expressed that the program offered vital insights into integrating person-centred care into daily practices.
Feedback highlighted collaborative opportunities among staff, allowing them to share successful strategies for meeting residents' needs. The pilot significantly improved continence care assessment and care plans, with 37 care plans updated to optimise dignified and individualised care.
My Continence Care not only uplifts knowledge and skills but also provides a focused approach to continence care in the fast-paced residential aged care environment.
“Person centred continence is the core of our service, so it was interesting to see how the staff, especially the care staff were able to integrate this in their daily care delivery”
“It gave us as a team an opportunity to connect and share ideas on what worked for each staff member which was helpful as staff are now able to trial different strategies to meet resident’s needs.”
“Pilot learnings will indeed go a long way in improving how we all address the issues of continence. It will also help us in updating care plans with strategies that can be used for future residents’ issues.”
What’s next for My Continence Care?
Continence Health Australia are targeting nationwide implementation of My Continence Care across over 2,600 residential aged care facilities in Australia.
If you would like to learn more about My Continence Care or have any questions, you can reach out via the Expression of Interest Form.