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Continence needs can have a significant impact on everyday life, affecting comfort, confidence, health and independence. For people with disability, a continence assessment can help identify the right supports, equipment and strategies to make daily activities easier and improve quality of life.
What is a Continence Assessment?
A continence assessment is an in-depth evaluation carried out by a qualified healthcare professional to understand how bladder or bowel issues affect your daily life and identify appropriate support options.
During the assessment, the clinician may consider:
- The impact of your disability on continence.
- Bladder and bowel function.
- Mobility and transfer requirements.
- Personal care routines.
- Current supports, products or equipment.
- Your living environment.
- Health and wellbeing factors.
- Goals related to independence, participation and daily living.
Assessments are often conducted by trained professionals such as continence nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists or other suitably qualified clinicians.
When Will The NDIS Fund a Continence Assessment?
A continence assessment may be funded by the NDIS when it is directly related to your disability and helps determine the supports you need to pursue your goals.
The assessment can provide valuable information that helps identify:
- Appropriate continence products and consumables.
- Assistive technology and equipment.
- Support strategies to build independence.
- Evidence required for future funding requests.
As with all NDIS-funded supports, the assessment must generally meet the reasonable and necessary criteria.
Supports That May Be Recommended
A continence assessment may lead to recommendations for a range of disability-related supports
Continence Consumables
Depending on your needs, recommendations may include:
- Continence pads and liners
- Pull-up pants
- Catheters
- Drainage bags
- Waterproof bedding protection
- Other disability-related continence products
Assistive Technology
The assessment may also identify specialised equipment that supports safe and effective continence management, including:
- Commodes
- Shower commodes
- Toileting support equipment
- Bidet systems
- Other assistive technology relevant to your disability
Capacity Building Supports
In some situations, an assessment may recommend therapies, training or support strategies designed to increase independence and improve continence management skills over time.
Why Are Continence Assessments Important?
A continence assessment doesn’t just identify immediate support needs. It can also provide evidence that helps demonstrate why certain products, equipment or services are necessary because of your disability.
This information can be useful when seeking funding for disability-related supports through your NDIS plan.
Who Is Eligible?
To be considered for NDIS funding, a continence assessment will generally need to:
- Be directly related to your disability
- Address disability-specific support needs
- Help improve independence, participation or quality of life
- Meet the NDIS reasonable and necessary requirements
- Not be more appropriately funded by another system, such as the health system
The NDIA may request supporting documentation from your treating health professional explaining why the assessment is required and how it relates to your disability.
For more information about continence supports view this NDIA resource