Continence Promotion Workshop

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Continence Promotion Workshop ICS 2006

• Current Consumer Outreach in New Zealand

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National Public Awareness Campaign

• Annual campaign with focused topic e.g. 2006
  Understanding Your Pelvic Floor launched in
  association with new CD by the same title
• Initially branded Dry Pants Day now known as
  Life Without Limits Continence Awareness Week
  
• Held the first week of September every year.
• Regular placement of continence editorial
  throughout the year through relationship with the
  newsprint media. They often approach us now for
  editorial. Advertise our helpline and web
  address alongside editorial

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• 0800 free phone helpline post information with
  each enquiry and refer to the most appropriate
  service in their area
• Website (www.continence.org.nz). Regularly
  updated with information and list of continence
  service providers throughout the country.
• Website also has a question forum where people
  send in a specific question relating to their
  problem. This is referred to a health
  professional in the required specialty who
  answers it.
• We advertise the website and helpline no. in
  every editorial and website usage has increased
  while helpline has decreased as people seek
  information anonymously. They can also access a
  list of services.

4
Resources

• 12 subjects of information in pamphlet form
• 1 in 3 women booklet. (Originally copy courtesy
  of CFA)
• Pelvic Floor CD
• Continence Care Training Manual and CD

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Public meetings

• Organized by
• continence staff in their area
• special interest groups such as community groups,
  Parkinsons, Age Concern, Alzheimers, Arthritis
  etc
• National awareness campaign events

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Public Expos and shows

• e.g. Parent and Child show (Auckland, Wellington,
  Christchurch)
• Healthy Ageing
• Womens Lifestyle
• Speak to many 100s over a 3 day event. Promote
  prevention, provide information, advice, inform
  on what services are available, advise them to
  seek professional help and referrals where
  appropriate.

7
Parent Child Show Auckland 2006
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Minority Groups

• Information handouts available in Maori, Samoan,
  Chinese and Korean
• Several years ago we worked with a Northland
  group of Maori and trained their lay health
  workers and provided basic teaching resources
  developed in association with them. They found
  useful and successful but has not developed
  further or expanded due to the death of the
  initial organizer. Others promised to continue
  but it didnt eventuate.

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Future Initiatives to Maori and Pacific Island
groups

• It has been an ongoing problem for all
  organizations trying to work with minority
  groups. After discussion with the Ministry of
  Health I have written to a number of minority
  groups who currently receive funding for
  education with the plan to tap into their
  education sessions and add continence as an
  additional subject.

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Other Health Professional Groups

• We have just completed an educational programme
  Continence Care Training Programme that covers
  six subjects of continence and is targeted at the
  primary care market. There has been huge
  interest from the residential care sector and the
  Pharmacy Guild to use it in training staff within
  their own facility. Each session takes 30-40
  minutes and includes a power point.
• Bi-annual national conference with regional
  education training programme alternative years.

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Other Key Factors to Successful Promotion

• Executive board members who are supportive and
  available when required.
• Members who will assist with awareness activities
• Good relationship with media, sponsors, companies
  etc.
• Appropriate funding for the chief executive
  officer to co-ordinate the operation of the
  organization and keep it funded and functioning
  efficiently without reliance on volunteers