World Continence Week
This week marks World Continence Week around the world, and under the slogan Talk about incontinence: A problem in anyone’s language, this year’s campaign (June 24 – 30) tackles the myth that incontinence is a natural part of ageing or having children, which results in many people putting up with the issue and not seeking help.
As part of the week, the Continence Foundation of Australia is targeting culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and has just launched new web pages for non-English speaking communities and health professionals working with these communities. The pages includes video content, initially in Vietnamese and Chinese languages, as well as bilingual fact sheets in 20 languages, covering topics such as bedwetting, prostate and bladder control, and pelvic floor muscle training. Resources have also been developed to help health professionals and interpreters to work together during a continence assessment with clients from a CALD background.
According to the Continence Foundation of Australia, an estimated 70 per cent of people living with incontinence do not discuss the issue, even with their GP, despite studies showing most cases can be cured or better managed.
The National Continence Helpline (1800 33 00 66) is staffed by continence nurse advisors who provide advice, referrals and resources to consumers and health professionals.
For more information, including access to the bilingual resources, visit www.continence.org.au.