TENA Empower Geriatric Lifestyle Care Among Malaysians | Care | Challenge

Take care of geriatric is a need and responsible for all. TENA, The Understanding Specialist and Continence Foundation of Malaysia recently launched the ‘Sentiasa Denganmu Mak Abah di Mana Jua: Idea Mudah Untuk Rumah, Ibu Bapa Kita Lebih Selesa’ Campaign to empower adult children to be more aware of the little things they can do and how they can play an active role in understanding the many challenges their parents face, including the onset of incontinence which occurs in 1 out of 2 older persons .

As incontinence can affect one’s parents’ mobility and quality of life, the campaign offers practical suggestions from experts on proper care, management and simple improvements in their homes to help elderly parents feel more comfortable while reducing the risk of falls.

Incontinence affects 1.4 million Malaysians and is estimated to increase by 4.5% annually.1 Despite this, studies have shown that 69% do not seek help largely due to embarrassment and social stigma.

“At TENA, we firmly believe that an active life with incontinence is still possible, hence the need to raise greater awareness so that the condition can be managed effectively with the RIGHT solutions and support, especially from family members,” said Debby Ho, Marketing Manager, Vinda Malaysia. “The last thing our parents want to do is to trouble us, and it is even tougher for them to bring up a sensitive topic such as incontinence. This is why TENA recognizes the great need to empower children with simple steps and small gestures that can help our parents feel as comfortable as possible, especially at home, without making them feel small,” she explained.

In line with this, TENA works with experts to provide holistic solutions including simple home improvement ideas as well as product solutions, such as TENA Pants, an absorbent underwear which enables them retain their dignity and freedom to enjoy their golden years without fear or embarrassment.

“Incontinence is very common, affecting approximately 50% of older persons. This impacts their lives in many ways, from remaining homebound out of embarrassment or visiting the toilet frequently throughout the day. As they are staying at home for most of the day, it is of utmost importance to prevent our elderly parents from a fall as it could lead to many other complications such as difficulty recovering, as well as other complications if they are hospitalized,” explained Dr Peter Ng, consultant urologist and president of Continence Foundation of Malaysia.

In addition to using TENA Pants, simple home improvements can make a big difference since elderly parents spend the most time at home. In support of the ‘Sentiasa Denganmu Mak Abah di Mana Jua: Idea Mudah Untuk Rumah, Ibu Bapa Kita Lebih Selesa’ Campaign, renowned Malaysian designer Dr Eric Leong shares home improvement ideas in phases on the TENA Facebook page (www.faceboook.com/TENA.Malaysia) and TENA website (www.tena.com.my).

“One of the best things we can do for our parents is help them maintain their independence, and home ideas in the bedroom, bathroom and living room can make it much easier for them to move around safely,” said Dr Leong. “These can be complemented with the right colours and refreshing scents to make their homes more relaxing.”

In addition to recommendations from experts, the campaign also provides other educational support through the TENA website, where the Caring 101 e-Handbook can be downloaded and product samples can be requested.