Expert urges Aussies not to give up on travel plans over bladder control fears.
Standing in line at airport security is often a tedious wait, but for those with an unpredictable bladder, the fear of losing control can quickly turn a dream holiday into a nightmare.
More than a million Australian’s aged 40 and over are putting off holidays and travel plans over fears around toilet stops and anxiety about incontinence (bladder leakage), new research by Depend® has found.
It’s no surprise retirement travel plans have been forced to take a back seat. Incontinence sufferers made an average of ten trips to the bathroom a day and more than two thirds (67%) of sufferers are anxious about locating bathrooms in new locations quickly enough to pre-empt leakage. Almost a third (29%) of Australians suffering from incontinence said they have cut back on travel plans due to incontinence fears.
Neurological Continence Nurse Consultant, Joanne Lawrence, said “unfortunately incontinence is a highly prevalent, yet little discussed condition which can have a deep impact on the lives of sufferers. The stigma still associated with incontinence, despite the millions of sufferers, has allowed embarrassment and coping strategies to affect what people do, where they go, how they travel. We found a quarter of sufferers found it affected their everyday travel, but this almost doubles when longer trips are considered.”
“Retirement is a time to travel and enjoy socialising with family and friends. Unfortunately, for the majority of sufferers, incontinence is something that is always at the back of their mind and more than half of the people we surveyed (54%) said that their bladder control impacted their self-confidence.”
However, according to Ms Lawrence, this does not need to be the case. With simple planning and armed with the right product, there is no need reason sufferers cannot feel confident in travelling, whether it be interstate or overseas.
“It is important you don’t let this condition stop you from doing all the things you’ve wanted to do in your retirement. With some simple planning, you can manage and take on that trip of a lifetime!” said Ms Lawrence.
Joanne’s top travel tips
Plan ahead
Book your seats ahead for bus or flight travel, so you’re situated close to toilets and secure an aisle seat. For those who love travelling around Australia via car, the National Public Toilet Map is a great resource with information on over 16,000 publicly available toilets across Australia, outlining opening hours and facilities. “Take plenty of supply of incontinence pads to avoid the stress of going without and pack a disposable bag in your carry-on. Don’t be tempted to dehydrate to reduce the risk, but choose drinks wisely. It’s recommended to stick to water over coffee and tea,” Ms Lawrence said.
Travel fearlessly – get the right product
It sounds simple, but many people are not using the correct product for their level of incontinence and despite its prevalence, approximately 70% of people suffering from urinary incontinence do not seek professional help for their condition. Depend® has developed an online tool to help navigate the right product and protection for your needs, designed specifically for various levels of incontinence. For more information about incontinence speak to your healthcare professional or visit www.depend.com.au for a free product sample.
Know where to get help
If you are experiencing difficulty managing your incontinence with these techniques, visit http://www.continence.org.au/ or call 1800 33 00 66 to speak with a team of continence nurse advisors who provide information, education and advice to callers. This service is available to anyone residing within Australia, and may be accessed from Monday to Friday, between 8.00am and 8.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time.
