Care Connection offers women’s course on bladder, bowel health

Bladder health is more than a topic for late-night TV commercials. It’s an important issue that affects more than 40 percent of older women. While it’s not likely to come up in dinner conversation, bladder health does take center stage in one of Care Connection’s popular online Zoom classes.
“Mind over Matter,” a free online course especially for women, will be offered by Care Connection for Aging Services in three two-hour segments, beginning at 9 a.m. Feb. 27.
The area agency on aging is offering the course on Zoom, with a limited enrollment to assure trust and privacy. The classes will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Feb. 27, March 13, and March 27.
The program has been shown to improve bladder symptoms for 71 percent of participants and bowel symptoms for 55 percent. Mind over Matter is aimed at women 60 or older, living independently, and who have either experienced bladder and bowel issues or want to prevent them. To register online, visit www.goaging.org/events.
Attendance at all three sessions is required.
Participants will need to be able to make changes in how they eat or drink and the timing of their fluid intake or restroom breaks, as well as be able to do low-impact exercises while seated.
Attendees will learn strategies for preventing or improving incontinence, including understanding how the bladder, bowels, and pelvic floor muscles work together; building confidence to set and achieve goals; learning to do low-impact pelvic floor muscle exercises (Kegels); adjusting fluid and fiber intake to improve bladder and bowel function; and seeking care from health professionals for solutions.
Care Connection is a nonprofit agency operating 21 locations in 13 West Central Missouri counties: Bates, Benton, Carroll, Cedar, Chariton, Henry, Hickory, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis, Saline, St. Clair, and Vernon. Its mission is to provide opportunities to create positive aging experiences. The agency provides its services without regard for participants’ ability to pay; however, Care Connection welcomes contributions. For more information, call 1-748-7826 or visit www.goaging.org.