We have some questions:

How many times a year do you think the average person with a disability, requiring continence products, would need to go to the bathroom?
How much does it cost?
What does someone do when they can’t afford basic medical necessities to go to the bathroom?
What happens if you are an immigrant who needs continence products and you don’t qualify for any funding at all?

We’ve heard of Period Poverty, but we’re calling this Continence Poverty. For people with disabilities this is a huge problem that no one talks about.

Edwina Spooner from Coloplast is back and we talk about the very sobering realities for a lot of people who need to use continence supplies and don’t have access to a lot of funding, may not have any funding at all and the ripple effect it creates on the person and on the health system.

You can listen to the podcast on our Youtube channel or select your preferred platform for our podcast, Have The Nerve, at the bottom of the post.

Information in this episode:

• Coloplast
• Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS)
• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
• My Aged Care
• Continence Foundation of Australia
• Parliament of Australia – Find your local Member 
• Have The Nerve Episode Three – What you should know about SCI and bladder management.
• Have The Nerve Episode Four – What you should know about SCI and bowel management.

Credits: Susan Wood has written, produced and edited this episode. Logo art by Cobie Ann Moore.

Spinal Cord Injuries Australia is a for-purpose organisation that supports people with a spinal cord injury and other neurological conditions.