Facts about ageing and incontinence

TENA researched the perceptions of a young audience toward ageing, intimacy and , and compared them against the real stories of women over 50 living with incontinence. Here’s what we found.

A bar graph showing 38% versus 9%.

Reality is better than perceptions

Thirty-eight percent of women under 34 think that bladder leakage will negatively affect their sex life, yet only 9% of women 50+ with bladder leakage say that it has.

Negative perceptions of ageing

Graphic showing 59%

Fifty-nine percent of people under 34 are afraid their lives will become boring and predictable after 50.

Graphic showing 58%

Fifty-eight percent of women 18-34 worry they will feel less attractive and sexy as they age.

Graphic showing 66%

Sixty-six percent of women under 34 say they are worried about bladder leakage as a negative side effect of ageing.

The reality of life after 50

Graphic showing 59%

Fifty-nine percent of women over 50 say they are still interested in exploring the world around them, and nearly a third consider themselves more adventurous than when they were younger.

Graphic showing 33%

Thirty-three percent of women 50+ say they now enjoy sex more than ever because they know their body better.

Graphic showing 66%

Sixty-six percent of women over 50 with say it never stops them from doing something they want to do.

Graphic showing 46%

Forty-six percent of young people (18-34) would like to see more representative depictions of older women on TV and in media.

Graphic showing 56%

Women over 50 with bladder leakage are 56% more likely than those without it to feel they can't relate to how women their age are portrayed in the media.

Learn more about incontinence

Different types of incontinence

Urge, stress or mixed – get to know your incontinence.

TENA Women lifestyle, Two women dancing

Pelvic floor exercises

A few minutes a day can get you back in control.

TENA Women lifestyle, Group of women exercising in the park

Incontinence and intimacy

Incontinence should not get in the way of making love.

TENA Women lifestyle, Woman and man dancing