Bill > SR55

Introduced Session

This resolution designates the first week in August as "Adult Diaper Need Awareness Week" in the State of New Jersey in order to recognize that adult diaper need is a public health issue, raise awareness of adult diaper need, and ensure that all adults suffering from incontinence will have access to clean diapers and other incontinence products required for daily living. Twenty-five million American adults suffer from various forms of incontinence, and urinary incontinence, the loss of bladder control, is more common in older people, especially women. Persons living with chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer's, disease, dementia, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson's disease, and those who are disabled, can also experience incontinence. The only way for older Americans, the disabled, and persons living with chronic illnesses to manage and lead as normal of a life as possible is through the use products that are specifically catered to managing incontinence, most notably adult diapers. A person with a moderate amount of urine leakage may use two to four disposable diapers each day, at a cost averaging $80-$160 per month. However, if a person needs adult diapers for all their urinary needs, the cost can be between $200-$300 per month for adult briefs and other incontinence products. Diaper need is the lack of a sufficient supply of diapers to keep an infant, a toddler, or an adult with incontinence clean, dry, and healthy. Often, people dealing with incontinence problems are among those who have the fewest resources, and adults managing incontinence who are living in poverty or who have limited incomes may not have access to adult diapers and other incontinence supplies. An inadequate supply of adult diapers or inferior incontinence products poses many health risks, including rashes and urinary tract infections, and can lead to anxiety and depression. Diapers banks are a resource for people who cannot afford to purchase needed incontinence products due to financial difficulties and, in many cases, adult diapers made available through diaper banks are free. However, the fact that federal health insurance programs such as Medicaid and Medicare have varying procedures and requirements relating to insurance coverage for incontinence products, and the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic has amplified economic hardships, adults suffering with incontinence often lack access to adult diapers and other products that are essential for daily living. Raising public awareness of adult diaper need will ensure that adults with incontinence will no longer struggle with inadequate supplies of adult diapers or inferior incontinence products and will be able to manage and lead as normal of a life as possible.

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Angela Mcknight (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document