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Heidenheim (dpa) - Condom urinals, diaper briefs, fecal collectors: sooner or - mostly - later, millions of people have to deal with incontinence and the aids available.
"Incontinence is a growing problem in an aging society," explains Manfred Beeres from the German Medical Technology Association (BVMed).
Bladder weakness and fecal incontinence were among the most common causes of costly care for elderly people in old people's and nursing homes.
In Germany, six to nine million people are affected, depending on the estimate.
"The number of unreported cases is likely to be high," said Beeres.
As a result, the trade in incontinence products is a growth market in view of the demographic change with more elderly and multiple sick people with a higher life expectancy.
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Paul Hartmann AG, based in Heidenheim, is one of the largest manufacturers in the field.
Annual sales have been increasing for years, most recently to 2.2 billion euros.
"What is special about it is that the volumes of products sold are increasing in general, but the prices per product are falling at the same time," said a company spokesman.
This is mainly driven by cost pressure in the health system.
In the opinion of experts and those affected, this has consequences for the further development of the products.
Stefan Süß from the self-help association incontinence complains that the lump sums of the health insurance companies are too low for innovations to pay off for the manufacturers.
"What is being done now is often just a facelift."
Customers are also not recommended products that they really need, but those that are covered by the cash payments.
If the quality then does not meet the requirements, the patient has to pay himself and, for example, buy more diapers or panties.
Even the commercial director of a smaller company, who does not want to be named, admits that products are not being further developed because that is not lucrative.
"From a supply point of view, this is very questionable."
This can only be resolved on a political level.
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BVMed, for example, emphasizes the progress made in recent years: High-quality products are very absorbent thanks to so-called super absorbers, odor-free and noise-free, so they don't crackle, according to Beeres.
"There is a lot of high-tech both in the products and in the production."
Sensors and apps can also be used to imagine better monitoring and control in old people's and nursing homes in order to relieve nursing staff.
Among other things, Hartmann is working to ensure that the products are light, sit comfortably and do not cause skin inflammation.
"Older skin in particular is more sensitive and (often) dry," explains a spokesman.
"Excretions like urine can quickly damage the skin."
Products are also being worked on in the interests of the health of care workers.
Essity also sees growth potential in men.
They have less experience with hygiene products than women.
The prostate is often to blame for urine loss in men.
Essity also makes it clear that incontinence can affect people of all ages.
Younger people lose urine involuntarily after accidents or operations, but also after pregnancy and childbirth.
In women, hormonal changes during menopause also play a role.
Other factors are diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer's.
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According to the industry association BVMed, there are only a few market-defining suppliers on the market for absorbent incontinence products such as adult diapers and for dissipative products such as catheters.
"We are not counting on more companies, because the largest producers have decades of know-how advantages in this market with very high production figures and special machines."
A topic that concerns the entire industry: incontinence is a taboo.
Some products for mild bladder weakness are available in drugstores - but the majority only in pharmacies or medical supply stores.
"In addition, online trading is playing an increasingly important role in this taboo topic," said the Hartmann spokesman.
According to BVMed, the area is as shame and taboo-prone as hardly any other.
Affected people withdraw from inadequate care, no longer take part in social life and feel stigmatized.
According to Hartmann's European study “Breaking the Silence” last year, seven out of ten incontinents would like society to deal more openly with the issue.
From the point of view of the group, however, something has also been going on in terms of removing taboos for several years.
Companies and specialist societies such as the Deutsche Kontinenz Gesellschaft worked hard on the education.
With the “Body Pride” campaign, BVMed is trying to get such diseases out of the “taboo corner”.
Among other things, Essity trains nursing staff in homes and is a strong promotional tool on all channels.
The incontinence self-help association welcomes the fact that, for example, incontinence is really mentioned in TV commercials and no longer just about a “sensitive bladder”.
But Suss says that all those involved would only remove taboos in the area from which they themselves have advantages: "The manufacturer wants this for his products, doctors, so that people can come into practice."
That is only a little bit of removing taboos.
"It would be important to talk about incontinence openly and without any background."
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201123-99-429614 / 3
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