Let’s Talk about It... Incontinence

Whether you call it incontinence, a loss of bladder control or having an accident, one in twenty-five Canadians, one in four seniors, are incontinent.

What does that mean to you or me? It means that incontinent people are not alone and that loss of bladder control is a normal, everyday condition for a lot of people. And it means that you, me or a friend are asking the same question a lot of other people also want answered. Questions as basic as: What is incontinence? What causes it? How can we manage it?

Usually when people speak of incontinence they are talking of a partial or complete loss of bladder control. But it does vary from person to person, from day to day. Generally there are three degrees of incontinence: light, moderate, and severe. In other words, small amounts of leakage or dribbling, large volumes and emptying of the full bladder.

What causes these incontinence conditions? The doctor is in the best position to answer this question. It can be anything from a bladder infection, to diabetes, to prostrate problems or child birth. It is important to remember that incontinence is not a disease. In fact, there is so little public awareness of incontinence that people may not even know it’s something they can, and in fact should, talk to their doctors about.

People often have problems coping with incontinence. There’s such a strong social stigma attached to it that people are reluctant to talk about it with anyone. Some people even isolate themselves at home, hoping to avoid the embarrassment of an accident or spotting. There is no need to take such drastic measures. With proper protection or treatment there is no reason why incontinence should prevent your or those you are care about from going about their daily activities comfortably and with confidence. In fact there are now products available, such as Attends briefs, which help give incontinent people the confidence they need to enjoy themselves.

Incontinence may affect people’s lives in different ways. What is difficult for some may be easier for others. It’s all matter of activity, lifestyle and attitude.

(If you have any questions or require information about incontinence, please call the Attends Hotline at
1-800-668-0197 Or call The Simon Foundation of Canada at 1-800-265-9575 The Simon Foundation is a self-help group providing assistance and support to incontinent people and their families.)