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| Marlene Ceragno and her organization, The Adult Care Brief Bank in New Jersey. |
Have you heard of Adult Diaper Brief Banks? They are similar to a diaper bank for infant and baby diapers, but cater to the adult need for absorbent products.
Marlene Ceragno runs an organization called The Adult Care Brief Bank in New Jersey. For many years before starting her organization she had never heard of a diaper bank. Then her daughter’s high school did a competition between grade levels to see who could build the biggest diaper wall. The diapers were donated, and this fundraiser was done to benefit a local woman’s shelter. This was a well-known fundraiser and the community really got behind it. Through this fundraiser she realized the need, and saw that it went beyond babies and toddlers.
Diaper banks can help anyone, not just babies and toddlers, and the need is there for adult protective products. Over 13 million Americans have incontinence, and need absorbent products. And those products for incontinence are not cheap.
On average the cost of incontinence adult protective briefs is $100 or more a month. Medicare will only help with this cost if the person is a patient in a hospital or skilled nursing facility. Thus, those living at home or in assisted living have to cover these costs themselves. Most insurances (supplemental) do not help with this expense. Leaving the burden to the individual, many of which are living on Social Security alone.
A big expense like this can be out of reach for many families, and leads to using products for longer than they should be used, compromising health and comfort, as well as confidence, and going without other needed things to afford the adult diapers needed.
Fortunately adult diaper brief banks provide an alternative to this.
Diaper banks are in place to help those who need it get the adult diaper briefs required. They typically do not distribute directly to individuals, however. Instead they partner with local social service providers such as food banks, United Way, and even churches and other private organizations to get the briefs to the consumers who need them and can’t afford them.
Individuals can find their local diaper banks through a Google search or by using the phone book. Contacting the local diaper bank can help you determine which social services can help, and where to go to get what is needed. If there are not services is your area, you can request that local diaper banks start providing adult supplies, and if you can illustrate the need, most will happily try to meet it; or do what Marlene Ceragno did and start your own adult diaper brief bank.
There is a huge need for this service, and help may be only a phone call away. Reach out and help your local diaper bank, donate, organize a fundraiser, and educate seniors of this option for their incontinence supply needs.
You never know who may have need of this service, and did not realize it was available if they just looked and asked.
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About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visithttp://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.
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