May 2019

National Continence Manager, Sue Blinman, answers some frequently asked continence questions.

National Continence Helpline Manager, SUE BLINMAN, answers some frequently asked continence questions:

Ever wondered if your doctor or health specialist truly understands the debilitating effect incontinence has on your life? Associate Professor Michael Murray does. We spoke with him about his own compelling, very personal post-surgery story.

Jack Tyrrell, who helped launch the new initiatives, tells Maria Whitmore how losing his sight five years ago made him an advocate for better access to information, and forged a new career path.

Glenn Turnbull contracted encephalitis as a toddler, which left him severely disabled. His mother, Moira, who has been caring for him ever since, was recently awarded the Continence Foundation of Australia’s 2016 Carer of the Year. Moira shares her story with Maria Whitmore.

Keren Faulkner, physical therapies manager at the London and Rio Paralympic Games, speaks to Maria Whitmore about the Paralympians’ extraordinary determination, not only in the sporting arena, but in the management of their disabilities.

Physiotherapists Shan Morrison and Patricia Neumann answer these common questions about pelvic pain.

Adelaide-based occupational therapist and toilet training consultant Debbie Atkins provides tips for toilet training children and young people with a developmental disability.

Incontinence has a profound effect on the mental health of over five million Australians who are today living with bladder and bowel control problems.

The 2017-2018 financial year saw 27,623 calls for help to the National Continence Helpline. We’ve gathered the statistics on caller satisfaction, referrals and caller type.

Former nurse and foster carer, Susanna Harrison of Far North Queensland has been named the Continence Foundation’s 2018 Carer of the Year.

Continence Foundation member and Brisbane researcher, Dr Prabha Lakhan, has received an Australian Bladder Foundation grant to conduct the study: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women attending an Indigenous primary healthcare clinic and their experiences of management of urinary incontinence.

Getting through prostate cancer truly seems hard enough, but many men find urine leakage is the biggest challenge they must cope with during the recovery process. The loss of self-esteem and stigma attached to incontinence stops them from seeking help and discussing it with people in their lives—including family and friends.

Following escalating media stories, the Australian Government announced a Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in September 2018. We interviewed Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care, the Hon. Ken Wyatt AM MP, to find out more about the Royal Commission.

Physiotherapist Stephanie Boadle intended to return to Melbourne after a four-month rotation in Alice Springs in September 2017, but she loved it so much she has decided to stay.

Janie Thompson is the immediate past President of the Continence Nurses Society Australia and has over 20 years experience as a Nurse Continence Specialist. She works for Alfred Health Continence Service in Melbourne.

An online continence pocket guide for the growing disability and aged care workforce is now

World Toilet Day is a stark reminder that 4.5 billion people still live without a safe toilet, including school kids in Australia.

The enduring bond between a mother and daughter is celebrated in this year’s Carer of the Year.

For more than 20 years, Annette Beauchamp has worked as a physiotherapist specialising in women’s and children’s health, with a focus on continence and pelvic rehabilitation.

Did you know that over 5 million Aussies regularly have bladder and bowel 'accidents' ... but most don't seek help to better manage or cure it?

An award-winning research paper sponsored by the Continence Foundation of Australia, and presented at the 26th National Conference on Incontinence, has found that 30 percent of women netballers experience urinary incontinence while playing Australia’s most popular team sport for women.

The thought of a summer exercise regime strikes fear into the hearts of many.

A colostomy at the age of 21 was not the end of the world but the beginning of a new one. Now at 95 years of age, Jean Croxton shares some of her inspirational wisdom with granddaughter Kellie Matalone

In January this year, Dr Kate Gray opened the first Mobile Incontinence and

Anxiety and depression are common in people with incontinence. The good news is that there are effective treatments both for incontinence and for anxiety and depression.

For many people living with incontinence, Sacral Nerve Stimulation (SNS) has delivered life-changing results where all other treatments failed. Urogynaecologist and Continence Foundation Board Vice-President, Dr Ian Tucker explains.

The Continence Foundation says a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to retiring Consumer Advisory Committee member and former Senior Australian Of The Year, Phil Herreen who will be refocusing his volunteer efforts to support local, SA-based organisations.

Did you know 1 in 3 mums wet their pants? Are you one? Soph in the ABC series 'The Letdown' is.

National Continence Helpline Manager SUE BLINMAN answers some frequently asked continence questions:

July 8 marks the start of NAIDOC week, a national week of celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Greg Ryan was born without an anal opening, a congenital abnormality known as Imperforate Anus which affects 30,000 babies around the world each year. Without surgical intervention at birth, Greg would have died within 24 hours. Two Australian surgeons saved him, but the outcome ushered him into a life of shame, secrecy, social stigma and intense mental health difficulties.

World Continence Week 18 to 24 June 2018 - Over 5 million adult Australians are suffering in silence from a $67 billion health issue that for the majority can be helped or even cured.

Anne-Marie Howarth was 31 years old when she suffered a motorbike accident which left her with a spinal cord injury, restricting her bladder and bowel control. Not to be outdone by her injury, instead it opened a world of new opportunities.

Elite netballer, Sharelle McMahon remembers the day well. She was at a training session with the ANZ Championship team, the Melbourne Vixens when a physiotherapist used an external ultrasound to track how well the players were switching on their pelvic floor. “Only one of us in that group was actually activating our pelvic floor correctly, and that one wasn’t me,” said Sharelle.

The search is on for the best belly-laugh-provoking toilet humour across Australia - from Darwin to Hobart and everywhere in between.

Did you catch Dr Jenny King and Dr Bethia Wilson talk to ABC Breakfast in November about the National Conference on Incontinence?

The continence team at Victoria’s Western Health has won the Continence Foundation of Australia’s World Continence Week competition for its work to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of incontinence.

We recently reviewed and updated our One in Three Women booklet. The key message is that one in three women who have ever have had a baby will experience incontinence.

The Continence Carer of the Year Award acknowledges the important but often overlooked role of at-home carers, who deal with the complex role of caring for someone with incontinence. The award is open to carers from all around Australia, and nominations are invited from family, friends or health professionals who would like to bring to our attention these amazing individuals whose contributions are valued at over $1 billion a week in Australia. The winner of the Continence Carer of the Year Award receives a prize of $1000.

We asked children's continence nurse and National Continence Helpline consultant Janine Armocida what parents and children can expect in a continence assessment.

Lower back pain is strongly linked with pelvic floor weakness. There is certainly an awareness that water exercise provides a safer choice of fitness program for these individuals

Someone in Australia is diagnosed with diabetes every five minutes, and there are more than 4,400 amputations every year as a result of diabetes.

5-11 March is Kidney Health Week, the perfect time to remind everyone that drinking too much water is one of the three common ways women sabotage their pelvic floor.

The prospect of earlier death from preventable diseases compared to women has yet to convince some men to adopt healthier lifestyles. Perhaps the prospect of erectile problems might provide some motivation.

Young children who wet themselves both during the day and at night are more likely to have bladder and bowel problems as adolescents if left untreated, new research reveals.

It’s World Parkinson’s Day on April 11. While the external symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease may be immediately apparent, it is the unseen symptoms that can cause the most distress.

A recent Japanese study suggests that the amount of salt in our diet may affect how often we need to get up overnight to urinate.

As part of World Continence Week, new data shows the alarming rate that women laugh off bladder leakage.

A recent study reveals that pelvic floor muscle training can provide the same benefits as drugs for lower urinary tract symptoms

It's either benign prostatic hyperplasia or benign prostatic hypertropy, and both will cause constriction of the urinary tract.

As if you didn't have enough reasons to lose weight. Well here's another - stress incontinence!

The National Continence Helpline is fielding hundreds of calls from panicked parents asking for help about their child’s bedwetting and occasional daytime “accidents”.

October is Droptober month. There are many good reasons to drop down to a healthy weight - and your pelvic floor will thank you for it.

Women’s magazines would have you believe that drinking two to three litres of water a day is the elixir of youth and good health.

After birth, correct abdominal muscle exercise techniques are needed to protect the recovering pelvic floor and to prevent it from further stretching: some tips and techniques for fitness professionals

2016 has been another productive and positive year, with the organisation continuing to extend its reach among the Australian population and members of the continence and wider health industry.

Physiotherapists Shan Morrison and Patricia Neumann answer some common questions about pelvic pain

It’s holiday time, when children are asked to go on sleepovers and summer camps. But for some children, the thought of an overnight sleepover can be the cause of so much anxiety, they avoid them altogether.

Is the advertising spiel around waist trainers to be believed?

It's Carers Week 2016. The Continence Foundation supports and acknowledges the contribution that Australia's 2.8 million at-home carers make to our society.

A US study has found female triathletes are at a higher risk for pelvic floor disorders, with surprising rates of incontinence

The increased awareness of pelvic floor and exercise may be one of the most valuable progressions in women’s health in recent times, yet the challenge in knowing what is right for who remains.

It’s RUOK Day (September 8). Incontinence, one of the least spoken-about health conditions, puts younger women at a higher risk of depression.

September is Dementia Awareness Month, and the Continence Foundation has several resources to support family members and care givers of people affected by dementia and incontinence.

Research suggests yet another benefit of keeping fit and healthy later in life

Daytime accidents are a significant issue with one in five primary school-age children wetting themselves.

Research has been telling us for years that women with osteoporosis are at greater risk of incontinence. We also know that incontinence, particularly urge incontinence, increases a person’s risk of falling over. This osteoarthritis-incontinence double whammy puts people – particularly older women - at a greater risk of bone fractures compared to the rest of the population.

Be prepared for the worst hay fever season in years as the result of the heavy winter rains and a bumper crop of grass.

It’s World Continence Week June 19 -25, and Australians are being urged to take the matter of incontinence seriously, particularly in light of disturbing new data that suggests the majority of women affected simply laugh it off.

This disturbing account of the “fall-out” two women experienced after embarking on a strenuous exercise program at a regional gymnasium is a timely reminder why women and fitness professionals need to be made aware of pelvic floor-safe exercising.

We clean and floss our teeth everyday, yet we continue to ignore one important daily chore that can have major health repercussions.

Tired of wearing the same old black exercise pants to cover up embarrassing leaks? Learn what exercises can trigger incontinence and how to restore good pelvic floor health.

The winners of the 2016 Australian Bladder Foundation grants are...

You expect the sleepless nights, snotty noses, dirty nappies and supermarket meltdowns, but what about the fact you now seem to wet yourself every time you stand up, sneeze or run to catch the lights?

Look out for the summer edition of Bridge, the Continence Foundation's consumer magazine, which will be in letter boxes and email inboxes soon.

Planning your holidays? Make sure you factor in toilet locations, using the National Toilet Map, when you're on the road.

Applications for the Australian Bladder Foundation grant, National Conference on Incontinence Scholarships Program and Carer of the Year award are open!