Ostomy Care

Ostomy and Continence Care is Important to Your Recovery

Bowes In Home Care provides expert assessment, education and care, resulting in fewer complications and re-hospitalizations. Our healthcare team works with the most advanced products and supplies available to provide the best care possible.

The goals of the Ostomy and Continence at Home:

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Provide high-quality care in your home

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Provide early interventions to prevent hospital readmissions

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Educate you and your caregiver in the management of ostomy and continence

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Improve your quality of life

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Work collaboratively with your physician and our hospital partners to improve your health.

Ongoing incontinence management care includes:

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Assessments to identify contributing factors and the type of incontinence

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Recommendations to correct the problem — bladder training programs, scheduled voiding, dietary and fluid recommendations, pelvic muscle exercises and/or catheterizations

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Recommendations of appropriate containment devices, absorptive products and skin care.

Ongoing ostomy care includes:

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In-home postoperative management to include selection of appropriate pouching system and instruction in self care

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Assessment and management of peristomal and stomal complications with referrals for surgical intervention when appropriate.

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Training you and/or your caregiver in managing the site and required equipment

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Referral to support groups.

Facts about Incontinence and Ostomy

Urinary incontinence is a common condition in men and women of all ages. There are two main types — stress incontinence, which can cause leakage when you cough, sneeze, laugh or lift something heavy, and urge incontinence, which is a sudden, strong urge to urinate.

An ostomy is a surgically created opening in the body for the discharge of waste. In North America alone there are about 70,000 ostomy surgeries performed every year. Colostomies, ileostomies and urostomies are performed on people of all ages for a wide variety of causes.

Tips for managing urinary incontinence:

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Do Kegel exercises by clenching and unclenching your pelvic floor muscles.

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Establish a urination schedule.

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Avoid caffeine-rich drinks, such as coffee, tea and sodas. These are diuretics and will make you need to urinate more often.

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Don’t cut out all drinks. Your body needs to stay hydrated, so drink non-caffeinated beverages — but not too many.

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Talk with your doctor to make sure you are not taking any prescription medications that make incontinence worse.

Tips for managing ostomies:

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Learn the terminology. A “bag” or “pouch” refers to the part that collects waste. “Flange,” “barrier,” “wafer” or “faceplate” all refer to the part that sticks to your body.

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Your surgery may have affected how your body processes food. Learn how your body reacts to foods you used to eat, and chew all of your food very well.

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