CoCo program supports continence care

World Continence Week (16 to 22 June) provides an important opportunity to spotlight the condition by challenging misconceptions and fostering open conversation about continence health.

The Bolton Clarke Research Institute has developed a 12-step program to support older people living with dementia who are at risk of experiencing constipation and incontinence.

The Co-designed Constipation (CoCo) Care-Bundle addresses the gap between research and practical support for older people living with dementia to encourage independence and support for their continence health.

Linda, Research Fellow at the Research Institute, says there is limited evidence about this topic as people living with dementia are not always able to verbalise their toileting needs. 

“Often constipation and continence are linked together as constipation can lead to incontinence,” Linda said.

“By working with experts in continence care, residential aged care and allied health experts, the Research Institute was able to develop the program.

“The program is a multi-component intervention that is not based on pharmacological strategies like laxatives. Instead, it focuses on lifestyle strategies to prevent constipation in people living with dementia.”

For this program, the Research Institute was funded by the Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA) which resulted in the development of this 12-item constipation prevention bundle. This resource can be used by aged care providers as a foundation to tailor care plans for residents living with dementia.

“We wanted to make sure the program is user-friendly and feasible in residential aged care and accessible for people living with dementia and their families.

“We explored what residential care homes were already doing, what is written in the literature, and how these evidence-based strategies can be put into practice.

“Consulting with many leading experts in the industry including Food Solutions, QUT, The Dementia Centre and Vision Australia, some of the changes include consultations with a dietician, creating personalised toileting schedules and dementia-friendly signage and colour-contrasted toilet seats.”

After the successful trial of the program at the Cabrini residential care home in Sydney, the Research Institute is now looking to extend the program to other homes to further strengthen the support it can provide for residents.