By Oliver Winn
People of the Upper Yarra – it’s time to go hunting… for public toilets.
No, seriously – until 11 May, Continence Health Australia’s National Dunny Hunt is on, encouraging Australians to find public toilets that aren’t already recorded on the National Public Toilet Map (NPTM).
The NPTM helps people find public toilet facilities and is especially useful for people who experience incontinence and need to know where their next potential toilet stop is.
For the Upper Yarra, Warburton is the township with the most public toilets, coming in at six public toilets with five of them being open 24 hours.
Woori Yallock boasts four public toilets, two of which are accessible any time, and one accommodating for disability access.
Seville, Launching Place and Millgrove have three public toilets listed on the map too.
But despite the map listing more than 24,200 toilets, many ‘secret’ toilets remain unaccounted for – tucked away in small towns, service stations, parks, libraries and newly built community spaces.
Continence Health Australia chief financial officer Jim Cooper encouraged residents to share local knowledge to fill in the gaps, so those who experience incontinence issues can travel with the assurance of where their next stop could be.
“Residents are urged to explore new walking routes to discover unlisted public toilets and to ask local cafes and shops if their facilities can be added to the National Public Toilet Map, as well as to check nearby parks for any unlisted public amenities,” Mr Cooper said.
Incontinence isn’t as uncommon as you’d think – 1 in 3 women, one in 10 men and one in five children are affected by incontinence in Australia, but due to stigma and a lack of awareness many Australians don’t realise the prevalence of these conditions.
The National Dunny Hunt ends on 11 May and coincides with the start of World Continence Week, which aims to raise awareness around incontinence issues.
Unfortunately, 70 per cent of people with incontinence do not seek help and it can have long term physical and emotional impact due to the shame associated with incontinence.
Mr Cooper said the best way to address the stigma is to talk about it.
“Start by promoting open discussions that normalise the condition and encourage individuals to seek help,” Mr Cooper said.
It’s crucial to increase awareness as incontinence can impact all aspects of life.
“Living with incontinence can lead to several invisible effects, including depression, social isolation, decreased community engagement, reduced physical activity, caregiver stress, and financial burdens, with many unaware of available funding that could help alleviate some of these challenges,” Mr Cooper said.
The Australian Federal and State Governments offer a range of subsidies for people living with incontinence to help offset the cost of continence products.
These include the Continence Aids Payment Scheme (CAPS), DVA Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP), National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and other State and Territory Schemes.
More information can be found at: continence.org.au/get-help/financial-assistance
