The Reality of Incontinence Poverty | AD
* This post is in conjunction with Complete Care Shop, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Did you know that incontinence affects 3 million people in the UK? I had no idea either. My own experience of incontinence is limited really to pregnancy and the times I would sneeze and wet myself and spending months needing the toilet pretty much constantly.
My experience is nothing like the experience of people living with incontinence day in and day out. By the time my baby was born, my constant need for the toilet went back to normal and sneezing is only an issue when my bladder is full!
Many people care for elderly or disabled relatives who are incontinent or know someone living with incontinence due to various medical issues. There are people who spend years – or even their whole lives – needing to rush to the toilet or who have no toilet function at all.
What is incontinence?
Incontinence is where there is an involuntary or accidental loss of urine or faecal matter. It’s extremely common and affects around 13% of British women and approximately 5% of men across the country.
Despite incontinence being so common, it’s something people really don’t talk about. It’s something that has a stigma attached to it and is seen as socially unacceptable and embarrassing. The more we talk about things like incontinence, the more people will realise that it’s a normal condition and something that can happen to anyone.
What causes incontinence?
Incontinence can occur for so many reasons, ranging from paralysis to the effects of childbirth or medication. It’s something that can affect anyone and at any age. Incontinent children and the elderly might require help from a family member but many adults are able to manage the condition themselves.
Incontinence is not a disease but a symptom of underlying problems and shouldn’t be seen as an inevitable part of ageing. It can often be improved or cured depending on the type of incontinence. Even when it can’t be cured, the right aids and treatment can help to manage incontinence effectively.
Incontinence poverty
I had no idea that, like period poverty, incontinence poverty is a real issue that affects so many people across the country. There are many incontinence products available but they all cost money – and with the cost of living rising dramatically recently, it’s not surprising that many people just cannot afford to buy incontinence products that can make their quality of life so much better.
Complete Care Shop are proud to be one of the most trusted providers of assisted daily living products in the UK and they believe that they can give everyone the confidence to live a fuller life. CCS are dedicated to enabling independence every day and have committed to raising awareness of incontinence poverty and are trying to discourage people from turning to inappropriate products or solutions when faced with difficult household budget choices like baby nappies, sanitary towels and washable items.
On average incontinence products cost individuals £1800 per year. Unlike period products, incontinence products are something people use day in and day out. But, through their partners, CCS have secured £150k worth of incontinence products to help anyone who is living with, or caring for someone with incontinence and are
struggling to pay for products.
If you need incontinence products you can call the CCS customer care team on 01772 675 048 or complete the form on this page.. They will look to provide up to two products per household, completely free of charge whilst stocks last.
