An accurate way to conduct continence assessments

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has identified many areas in the…

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has identified many areas in the sector that require reform. One area that could be improved to provide best practice care, is continence management and assessment.

Incontinence is highly prevalent in aged care with 70.9 per cent1 of consumers in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) experiencing some level of incontinence. Incontinence is the main reason a person will enter a RACF2 as family and carers find it hard to cope with managing this intimate and challenging issue. Incontinence is also directly linked to increased risk of experiencing adverse events such as falls, infection, polypharmacy and Incontinence Associated Dermatitis (IAD)3 making it more challenging for carers. Best practice continence care is required to minimise the potential for these issues to occur.

Less guesswork with TENA Identifi

It is well-recognised that quality continence management starts with a comprehensive assessment.

Currently in most RACFs, continence assessments are conducted manually by carers or nurses. Carers check to see if residents have voided and estimate the void amounts. This often provides inaccurate data upon which toileting, pad changes and product choices are determined. Product absorbency levels have been found to be higher than needed in 76 per cent of cases using this manual method.4

New technology solutions are now available which can accurately record the time and amount of urine voided.

TENA® Identifienables RACFs to conduct accurate continence assessments to provide true individualised care. The system is made up of specially designed pads that contain integrated sensors and a logger that transmits data via an embedded mobile SIM card to a secure web portal. Following the 72 hours of assessment, a report is generated that demonstrates when a resident voids, how frequently, and how much.

This reporting can provide person centred care as it enables individual care plans to be created, with accurate pad changing times, accurate toileting times and also the correct product selection.

In TENA Identifi pilot programs within Australia and abroad, RACFs have experienced a 24 per cent reduction in the absorbency of pads needed, compared to regular current prescriptions.4 This means lower cost overall and less waste. More significantly, the right absorbent product and pad changing times results in better comfort and less skin irritation for residents.

With accurate toileting times, nurses or carers also reported a 21 per cent reduction in pad changes.5 While 45 per cent of residents experienced better timing of toileting routines, which was more individualised.4

‘Understanding voiding times and patterns means we can better manage toileting for residents and can reduce the number of disturbances at night. This can make a big difference to residents’ well-being and their quality of life,’ explained Gabrielle Curran, RN with over 30 years’ experience, now working as Health Support Consultant at Asaleo Care.

Having greater visibility with a TENA Identifi Report can also assist with explaining care plans to families and why a certain product is chosen. Continence management is included in the top five complaint categories received by the Aged Care Complaints Commission.6 So getting it right is important for RACFs. Common complaints include concerns about residents being left in wet pads, not being changed often enough and not being taken to toilet.

It’s clear that improvements need to be made. With more accurate assessments, many of these issues can be better managed and ultimately, that would be better for facilities, residents and families.

For more information, visit TENAprofessional.com.au

  1. Deloitte Access Economics Pty Ltd. The economic impact of incontinence in Australia. Melbourne; 2011.
  2. Pearson J (J Pearson & Associates). Incidence of Incontinence as a Factor in Admission to Aged Care Homes. Prepared for the Department of Health and Ageing. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2003.
  3. “Urinary incontinence (UI) is related to increased frequency of adverse events such as falls, infections, polypharmacy and pressure ulcers”, Stenzelius K. Westergren, A.Mattiasson, A.,& Hallberg, I.R. (2006). Older women and men with urinary symptoms. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 43, 249-265.
  4. Customer results from 210 before and after monitoring reports done with TENA Identifi in Denmark. The monitoring reports were done in the period from June 2013 to June 2015.
  5. Proven in practice in the Netherlands. Reference on request.
  6. Aged Care Complaints Commission Annual Report 2016-2017.
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