The person you care for should be eligible for some assistance through one or both of the State and Federal Continence Subsidy Schemes, depending on the state you reside in. You will need to make contact with a Continence Advisor to conduct the required assessments for these schemes. The Continence Foundation on Australia (on freecall 1800 33 00 66) can advise you of Continence Advisors that you can access in your local area.

It is also important to remember that the Schemes are not meant to provide all the aids that may be required but more to subsidise what is used. The use of aids should not replace toileting, but more to assist the person whilst they are implementing a toileting program.

You mentioned that the person you are caring for uses up to a packet of incontinence aids a day. To use so many aids in one day would suggest to me that they are not being used effectively. They do not need to be changed as soon as there is some urine in it, but only when the wetness indicator is at the very least ¾ disappeared, or if faecal soiling occurs. If they are changed any more frequently, it is not cost effective.

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