Continence care at home, handled with dignity

Continence care is practical, discreet support with toileting, hygiene and comfort at home. It keeps your Mum, your Dad or your partner clean, comfortable and confident. Part of daily care, handled without fuss. Usually included within a personal care visit; rates from £31 per hour, VAT-exempt.

CQC-regulated and rated Good. Registered Manager Courtney Pike. 9.9/10 on homecare.co.uk.

Why continence support matters

Difficulty with continence is common as people get older, after a stroke, with dementia, or alongside other conditions. It’s also one of the things families and older people find hardest to talk about. Left unmanaged, it can lead to skin problems, infections, falls during rushed trips to the bathroom, and a loss of confidence that makes someone withdraw from the life they enjoy.

Good continence care changes that. The aim is simple: keep the person clean, comfortable and confident, protect their skin and dignity, and take the anxiety out of something that should never be a source of shame.

What our carers can help with

Continence support is planned around the person, and can include:

• Help getting to and from the toilet safely, and on time
• Discreet support with washing and personal hygiene afterwards
• Changing continence pads or other products, and disposing of them properly
• Skin care to keep skin clean, dry and healthy, and spotting early signs of soreness
• Help to stay well hydrated, which matters more for continence than many people expect
• Laundry and keeping clothing and bedding fresh
• A calm, matter-of-fact manner that protects a person’s dignity throughout

We work to each person’s preferences and routines, and we keep the same small group of familiar carers wherever possible, because continence care depends on trust. You can read more about how we keep care consistent on our familiar carers page.

Working alongside NHS continence services

We provide practical day-to-day support, not clinical assessment or diagnosis. Continence is often something a GP, district nurse or the local NHS continence service should assess, because the right products, and sometimes treatment, depend on understanding the cause.

If your family member hasn’t had a continence assessment, we’d encourage you to speak to their GP, who can refer them to NHS continence services. Those services can assess the cause, recommend the right products and, in many areas, arrange supplies. We’re happy to support the practical side of care around whatever the clinical team recommends.

Where continence needs involve a catheter or stoma, that’s care requiring clinical training, and it sits within our complex care service rather than this one. That page sets out exactly what our trained carers can do and where a district nurse stays involved.

Continence care and dementia

For someone living with dementia, continence can become more difficult, and the reasons aren’t always obvious. They may struggle to find the bathroom, recognise the urge in time, or remember what to do. A familiar carer who knows the person, watches for their cues and keeps a steady routine can make a real difference, reducing distress for everyone. Our dementia care page explains how we approach this.

Costs and funding

Continence support is usually part of a wider personal care visit rather than a separate service, so it’s covered by our standard visiting care rates. Our costs and funding hub sets out hourly and visit pricing, and explains funding routes such as local authority support and NHS Continuing Healthcare where someone is eligible. Care delivered in the home is exempt from VAT under the welfare services rules.

What happens next

Worried about continence care for someone at home? It’s more common than people think, and nothing to be embarrassed about. We offer a no-obligation care assessment and are happy to talk it through before you decide anything. Call us on 01636 646915, email hello@helpingathome.co.uk, or request a callback at a time that suits you.

Helping at Home is rated Good by the Care Quality Commission and holds a 9.9/10 rating on homecare.co.uk, making us one of Nottinghamshire’s top-rated home care providers.

Frequently asked questions

What is continence care at home?

Continence care is discreet, practical support with toileting, hygiene, pad changes and skin care for people who find managing the bathroom difficult. At home it’s usually delivered as part of a personal care visit, with the aim of keeping the person clean, comfortable and confident.

Is continence care embarrassing for the person receiving it?

It doesn’t have to be. Carers treat continence care as an ordinary, matter-of-fact part of care, and keeping the same familiar carers wherever possible means the person is supported by people they know and trust. Protecting dignity is the priority throughout.

Do you provide continence products like pads?

The right products and, in many areas, supplies are usually arranged through NHS continence services after an assessment by a GP or district nurse. We support the practical day-to-day care around whatever the clinical team recommends, and can help you understand how to access that assessment.

Can you help with a catheter or stoma?

Catheter and stoma care need clinical training and sit within our complex care service rather than standard continence support. That page explains exactly what our trained carers can do and where a district nurse remains involved.

Can continence care help someone with dementia?

Yes. A familiar carer who knows the person can watch for their cues, keep a steady routine and reduce the distress that continence difficulties can cause for someone living with dementia. We build this into the wider dementia care plan.

We provide continence care in Newark, Grantham, Bingham, Retford, Ollerton and Southwell and the surrounding villages. Call 01636 646915 or request a care assessment to talk through what support looks like.