Specialised supports
A Guide to NDIS Continence Supports
Continence Supports on the NDIS are designed to help someone with the day-to-day management of incontinence due to disability. This type of support includes household items like pads and bed protectors, or support workers and healthcare professionals to provide support.
In this guide, we'll explore what continence supports are, who can provide these services, and how the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds these supports.
What are Continence Supports?
Continence supports are a range of services and aids that assist someone with managing incontinence due to disability.
These supports are tailored to suit the person’s unique needs and preferences and therefore will vary from individual to individual.
Continence support products can include:
- pads or nappies
- bedding or chair protection
- liners or shields
- anal plugs
- catheter equipment, like collection bags, bottles, straps or tape.
- Stoma equipment such as stoma bags, or site dressings.
The NDIS also considers:
- continence nurses to conduct an assessment and figure out what supports someone may need
- nurses to help with catheter care or managing a stoma
- training for support workers, family or carers to provide Continence Supports in a person’s plan.
Bowel Care and Catheter Care
Continence Supports can also cover two related areas of support:
- Bowel Care: supports for people at risk of constipation or faecal incontinence
- Catheter Care: products and supports for the management of catheters.
Unlike some other areas of Continence Supports, complex bowel and catheter care are considered High Intensity Daily Personal Activity Supports on the NDIS. This means oversight from a health professional (such as a Registered Nurse) is required to ensure Support Workers provide safe and effective support. As an NDIS registered provider, Hireup must also follow the relevant guidelines set out in the NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators.
Who can Provide Continence Supports?
These supports can be provided by your informal support, Support Workers and a variety of trained professionals, depending on your wants and needs.
- Informal support: friends and family are often the first to provide Continence Supports, but may require help from Support Workers or healthcare professionals for more complex tasks.
- Support Workers: trained individuals who can provide daily assistance and support in managing continence.
- Continence Nurses: registered nurses who specialise in the assessment and management of bladder and bowel issues.
- Occupational Therapists: professionals who can assist in selecting the right aids and equipment and in making necessary modifications to your home.
- Physiotherapists: experts who can help with physical exercises and strategies to improve bladder and bowel function.
- General Practitioners (GPs): Your family doctor can help in diagnosing the underlying issues and can refer you to specialised services if necessary.
How does the NDIS fund Continence Supports?
The NDIS can fund various areas of Continence Supports, depending on the person’s needs. Funding may be for consumables related to continence support or assistance (such as a Support Worker) to receive continence support.
Continence Supports is part of “Disability Related Health Supports”. You can learn more about Disability Related Health Supports on the NDIS website.
How Hireup can you with Continence Supports
Hireup is Australia's largest NDIS-registered online provider
Hireup has an experienced team of Specialised Support Relationship Managers who support you with your continence support needs.
Plus, we train your support workers to ensure your supports are delivered exactly how you need.
