Published by SESI Care Services · Updated August 2026 · 2-minute summary
Quick answer: The six aids that help most are a shower chair or stool, grab rails with a hand-held shower, a non-slip bath mat and flooring, a raised toilet seat or over-toilet frame, a bidet seat or wash-and-dry toilet, and continence products with a bedside commode. Most are low-cost items an OT or continence nurse can recommend. Bladder and bowel leakage is common and often treatable — see a GP or continence nurse before settling on pads.
Key takeaways
- Bladder and bowel leakage is not an inevitable part of ageing. It is common and often treatable — a GP or continence nurse should assess it first.
- Most aids are low-cost. Under the NDIS, items under $1,500 come from Core consumables with no upfront approval.
- Anything fixed to the wall usually needs an OT report, because it counts as a home modification, not equipment.
- Dearer or custom items go through Capital after an OT recommendation; Support at Home uses AT-HM tiers instead — under $500, up to $2,000, or up to $15,000.
- Community nurses assess and manage continence, not just supply pads.
- The National Continence Helpline (1800 33 00 66) gives free, confidential advice from nurse continence specialists.
Continence problems are common — and often treatable
Bladder and bowel leakage happens to a lot of people, at every age, and it is not something to just manage quietly with pads. Continence Health Australia, the national peak body, reports that more than 7.2 million Australians over 15 experience incontinence — more than one in three people — and 70% are younger than 65. It is more common with age, but not caused by age alone; causes include infection, weak pelvic floor muscles, prostate changes, constipation, medication side effects, or a nerve or muscle condition, and many can be treated or improved. A GP or continence nurse should look before anyone settles on pads. The National Continence Helpline (1800 33 00 66) gives free, confidential advice, and continence.org.au has plain-language information.
Community nurses provide continence assessment and support at home, not just pad supply. SESI delivers community nursing across Victoria, including continence support; see what community nursing at home covers. A catheter or other clinical continence care stays with a qualified clinician, never something to manage yourself.
1. Shower chair or stool
Sitting to wash removes the most dangerous part of showering: standing on a wet floor with your eyes shut.
Who it helps: anyone who tires standing, feels dizzy in warm water, or has had a bathroom fall.
What an OT checks: the shower recess size, your hip height, and how you get in. A stool suits a tight recess; a chair with arms suits someone who needs help to stand.
How it is funded: low-cost assistive technology from NDIS Core consumables, or the AT-HM low tier.
2. Grab rails and a hand-held shower
A seated wash only works if you can reach the water and steady yourself to move.
Who it helps: anyone using a shower chair, anyone who holds the tap or wall to stay upright, or washes one-handed.
What an OT checks: the hand-held shower reaches where you sit. A grab rail must be fixed to solid wall at the exact height and angle you actually pull on, marked after watching you move.
How it is funded: the shower unit can be low-cost assistive technology. A grab rail is fixed to the wall, so it is usually a minor or complex home modification — minor ones generally cost under $25,000 and need an OT report; complex ones cost more and need a building assessment too. Under Support at Home, grab rails sit in the home modifications side of the AT-HM scheme.
3. Non-slip bath mat and flooring
A textured mat or non-slip floor treatment gives your feet grip on a surface that is otherwise slick with soap and water.
Who it helps: anyone showering standing up, especially with numb feet, poor eyesight, or a history of slipping.
What an OT checks: whether a mat is enough, or the flooring needs a permanent non-slip treatment — glossy tile is a particular hazard. A mat’s edges must not curl and create a trip hazard of their own.
How it is funded: a mat is low-cost assistive technology under NDIS Core consumables or the AT-HM low tier; floor treatment is a minor home modification needing an OT report.
4. Raised toilet seat or over-toilet frame
Raising a low toilet a few centimetres, with arms to push up on, turns a fall risk into a task most people can do alone.
Who it helps: people with hip or knee precautions, weak legs, Parkinson’s disease, or anyone who holds the towel rail to stand.
What an OT checks: if height is the only issue, a clip-on seat is enough; if you also need arms, a frame gives you both, sized so it clears the bowl and the door still closes.
How it is funded: low-cost assistive technology, from NDIS Core consumables or the AT-HM low tier.
5. Bidet seat or wash-and-dry toilet
A bidet seat washes and dries with water and warm air, cutting down on wiping, which can be hard on grip, reach, balance or skin.
Who it helps: people with limited hand function or reach after a stroke or arthritis, people with skin sensitivity from continence products, and anyone whose balance makes twisting on the toilet risky.
What an OT checks: whether a simple attachable seat is enough or a plumbed-in unit is needed, what power and water access the bathroom has, and whether the controls suit your hand function.
How it is funded: an attachment can be low-cost assistive technology. A plumbed-in unit is a fixed change to the bathroom, so it is usually a minor or complex home modification, needing an OT report or AT-HM prescription.
6. Continence products and a bedside commode
Continence pads, pull-up pants and a bedside commode manage leakage and night-time toileting once a GP or continence nurse has assessed the cause.
Who it helps: anyone who leaks urine or faeces, and anyone who cannot reach the toilet in time or at night, after a stroke, with reduced mobility, or an intellectual disability who needs a familiar option close by overnight.
What a continence nurse checks: the type and level of leakage, skin condition, and support needed to change products or use a commode safely — and whether the underlying cause has been treated, not just managed.
How it is funded: low-cost assistive technology from NDIS Core consumables or the AT-HM low tier for both pads and commode. Some people may also qualify for the Continence Aids Payment Scheme; Continence Health Australia can advise.
Which funding route pays for each aid?
| Aid | What it solves | Usual funding route |
|---|---|---|
| Shower chair or stool | Standing to wash is tiring or unsafe | Core consumables · AT-HM low tier |
| Grab rails and hand-held shower | Cannot reach water or steady yourself | Shower: low-cost AT · Grab rail: Capital home mod after OT report · AT-HM home mods |
| Non-slip bath mat and flooring | Wet floor is a fall risk | Mat: Core consumables · AT-HM low tier · Floor treatment: minor home mod |
| Raised toilet seat or over-toilet frame | Toilet too low to stand from | Core consumables · AT-HM low tier |
| Bidet seat or wash-and-dry toilet | Wiping is hard on grip, reach or skin | Attachment: low-cost AT · Plumbed-in unit: home mod (minor or complex) |
| Continence products and bedside commode | Leakage and night-time toileting | Core consumables · AT-HM low tier · Continence Aids Payment Scheme may apply |
NDIS. Low-cost assistive technology is under $1,500, paid from Core consumables, no quotes or approval needed — NDIA examples include shower chairs, hand showers, handrails and incontinence alarms. Mid-cost and high-cost items need an advisor’s recommendation, usually your OT, funded from Capital. Home modifications — anything fixed to the wall or plumbing — are minor (generally under $25,000, OT report needed) or complex (over $25,000, building assessment too).
Support at Home. Aids and home modifications are funded through the AT-HM scheme, separate from your quarterly budget: low (under $500), medium (up to $2,000) or high (up to $15,000) tier, set at your aged care assessment. My Aged Care explains how to use it. See funding allied health at home: NDIS vs Support at Home. SESI delivers Support at Home services and occupational therapy across Victoria — see accessing in-home allied health under the NDIS in Victoria, 7 daily living aids OTs recommend and 8 home modifications that improve mobility.
Frequently asked questions
Is bladder or bowel leakage just a normal part of getting older?
No. It is common and becomes more common with age, but it is not caused by ageing alone and is often treatable. A GP or continence nurse can find the cause — infection, weak pelvic floor muscles, constipation or a medication side effect, among others — before you settle on pads.
Do I need an OT report before buying a shower chair or raised toilet seat?
Not usually — both are low-cost, low-risk assistive technology, bought without quotes or NDIA approval. A grab rail is different: it is fixed to the wall, so the NDIA treats it as a home modification and an OT must assess and report first, even for a “minor” job.
How do I get continence or bathroom aids under Support at Home?
Your aged care assessment sets an AT-HM funding tier. Once you have a provider and they notify Services Australia, you can use it. If it is not enough, your provider can request a support plan review with evidence from your OT or nurse.
Who can help me talk about continence without feeling embarrassed?
The National Continence Helpline (1800 33 00 66) is free and confidential. A community nurse or GP can also assess you directly. Once aids are set up, SESI’s personal care support workers can help use them day to day.
Talk to SESI
If showering or continence has become harder to manage at home, tell us what is going on. We can arrange an OT assessment, connect you with community nursing, or talk through what an aid or home modification would involve.
Tell us what’s going on: sesi.com.au/referral · Call: 1800 017 374
This guide is general information based on NDIA assistive technology and home modifications guidance, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing guidance on the Support at Home AT-HM scheme, and Continence Health Australia information, current at August 2026. It is not advice about your plan or health. For your plan, speak with your support coordinator or the NDIA on 1800 800 110; for aged care, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422; for continence advice, call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66.
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