Key points
• Urinary incontinence affects 6.9% of men over 65 years
of age, and 30-60% of people in institutionalised care
suffer from it
• The urinary sheath offers a practical, cost-effective
alternative to pads, pants and the indwelling catheter
• Assessment of the individual is very important and
should start with a full continence assessment, which
ideally should be done by a qualified nurse within the
care home, a district nurse or a continence specialist
nurse/advisor
• The urinary sheath, if used correctly, is a safe, discreet,
convenient and comfortable method of managing
male incontinence and compares favourably with
pads and indwelling catheters
• There are a variety of different types o f urinary
sheaths, available in different sizes and materials
• Training may be required to ensure staff are
confident in managing and fitting a sheath to avoid
failure of the product