“Let’s Talk” Program Encourages People to Talk Dirty

Job loss, social isolation and increasing levels of emotional distress are just a few of the unspoken side effects that often accompany the physical challenges of life with incontinence: the inability to voluntarily control bladder and bowel activity.

Although some individuals experience significant debilitation, such as regularly soiling their clothing and protective gear, other sufferers may be dealing with the inconvenience of wearing liners or refraining from activities that they love in order to avoid smaller mishaps.

“Although bladder and bowel control problems are incredibly common and fairly easy to address, less than 45 percent of individuals with incontinence are willing to talk to their health care provider,” says Jerisa Upton, Program Coordinator at Advocate Illinois Masonic’s Comprehensive Continence Center.

The goal of the program is to heal and empower individuals with incontinence issues by providing a full range of conservative and advanced treatment options and meaningful educational resources, which highlight the various conditions that can cause bladder or bowel control issues.

“In reality, there is a full range of effective treatment options available to individuals who want to regain control not only of their bladder and bowel habits, but also their lives,” says Dr. Joaquin Estrada, Surgical Director for Digestive Health at Advocate Illinois Masonic.

Treatments and services are available through the “Let’s Talk” program at Advocate Illinois Masonic’s Comprehensive Continence Center, which is comprised of a compassionate, multidisciplinary team of therapists, advanced practice nurses, and physicians dedicated to healing and empowering individuals struggling with mild to advanced fecal and urinary incontinence issues.

In addition to providing a full range of leading-edge, customized care plans designed to address fecal and urinary incontinence, the center also provides an empathetic and culturally-competent environment where patients are empowered to take charge of their health.

“The Comprehensive Continence Center is a concierge service that patients and providers can use to mitigate a lot of the guess work and confusion that often prevents people from getting the care that they need,” says Upton. “It is also a safe space where discussion of individual struggles with these issues are validated and addressed as part of a personalized care process.”

Advocate Illinois Masonic believes that patient care extends beyond the treatment of physical symptoms and instead focuses on treating the entire person, allowing patients to be active participants in their own care plan and encouraging them to regain control of their health even after leaving the medical offices.

“Taking control of your health is never shameful or taboo,” says Dr. Estrada. “Until we can begin having frank and open discussions about basic human functions like using the bathroom, we are going to continue to see people with unnecessary complications and conditions.”

“Don’t let a problem get worse because you’re hesitant to reach out. We make sure to tell each person we’re proud of them for demanding life without the fears and anxieties often associated with incontinence.”

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About the Comprehensive Continence Center

The Comprehensive Continence Center program is located in Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center’s Center for Advanced Care at 900 W. Nelson in Chicago. After calling the program coordinator or being referred to the program, patients will experience a streamlined appointment scheduling process and free round-trip transportation service. After meeting with program specialists for an initial consultation and review of medical history, patients receive a customized treatment plan. In addition to conservative therapies such as physical therapy or dietary changes, the center stands out as one of the only fully-integrated programs offering InterStim therapy to treat both fecal and urinary incontinence. For questions regarding the program or treatment, please call 773.296.7777.

About Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center

Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center is a 397-bed non-profit teaching hospital located in the Lake View neighborhood on Chicago's North Side. The medical center has a Level I Trauma Center and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the highest designations awarded by the state of Illinois, and offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care, including cardiovascular, oncology, digestive health and neurosciences services. A recipient of numerous awards for quality and clinical excellence, Advocate Illinois Masonic has achieved Magnet designation for excellence in nursing services from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The medical center has also been named a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign's Healthcare Equality Index. Advocate Illinois Masonic is part of Advocate Health Care, the largest fully integrated health system in Illinois. For more information, visit www.advocatehealth.com/masonic.