Dignity Denied in Aged Care

This article highlights the ethical and emotional challenges faced by elderly residents in aged care facilities, particularly regarding continence care. A concerned family member reported that her continent grandmother was instructed by staff to urinate in her pad due to a lack of assistance, despite being mentally alert and knowing when she needed the toilet. This situation, repeated multiple times, left the resident feeling humiliated, sitting in soiled clothing—an experience that undermines dignity and mental health.

The article underscores that forcing continent individuals to use pads can lead to shame, depression, social withdrawal, and even physical complications like skin rashes. Rowan Cockerell, CEO of the Continence Foundation of Australia, emphasized that such practices violate basic rights to dignity and tailored care. Continence management should always be individualized and based on the resident’s actual needs, not institutional convenience.

The root cause appears to be staff shortages and time constraints, which prevent timely toileting assistance. Many care workers enter the field with compassion and good intentions but leave due to frustration with inadequate staffing levels that compromise care standards.

The piece calls for improved staffing ratios, better continence management protocols, and increased accountability. It encourages residents and their families to report such incidents to appropriate authorities and participate in advocacy efforts through the Continence Foundation of Australia.

This issue is especially relevant to forums focused on male urinary incontinence, as men in aged care are also at risk of being denied proper continence support, affecting both dignity and quality of life.

HelloCare. (2018, December 7). “They told me to do it in my pants.” HelloCare. https://hellocare.com.au/they-told-me-to-do-it-in-my-pants/