March 2021
Welcome
We hope you had a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day. There are 32 million people in the US who have Irish descent, but they say on March 17th everyone is Irish! No matter how you celebrated St. Paddy’s day, we hope it was fun, happy, and safe. At ActivStyle, we want to keep you up to date on current industry news, product information, FAQs, and much more. We know your job and life keeps you busy, so thanks for your attention and for your continued support of ActivStyle.
Product News
Chucks, Chux, Disposable Underpads, Bed Pads. What’s the Difference?
So, you are looking for something to keep a bed, chair, or other furniture dry from incontinence leaks. You’ve gone online and found listings for chucks, chux, disposable underpads, bed pads and ask yourself, “What’s with all the different names? Aren’t these all the same thing with different names?”
Just like facial tissues are commonly called “Kleenex”, disposable underpads are commonly called “chux pads” or “chux” for short. During the 50s and 60s, women’s volunteer groups in hospitals and nursing homes would take pages from a newspaper, tear them into strips, and sandwich them into full sheets stapled or sewn together around the edges, creating an absorbent pad. These pads could absorb the urine and, when soiled, the staff would “chuck” — or throw them away.
Because incontinence is a widespread and important issue, in the 70s, medical supply manufacturers saw the need for a disposable chux pad that would not leak through. The industry came up with an absorbent pad made of blue plastic with multiple layers of white tissue paper on top to protect the bedding and furniture. From this product, three standard size pads evolved: 17”x 24”, 23”x24”, and 24”x36” pads (other sizes have since become available).
By the 90s, an important breakthrough introduced super-absorbent polymers to disposable pads. Super-absorbent polymers absorb urine and moisture and locking it away. This reduces the pH of urine and inhibits the growth of bacteria, reducing skin breakdown, and eliminating the smell of urine.
So, don’t be confused by the different names, they are all the same product for the same purpose. When a person is suffering from incontinence and needs some extra protection for their bed or other furniture, a disposable pad is the ideal solution to keep furniture clean. In fact, when it comes to these pads, the most important decision you need to make is the right size and absorbency level for your needs.
Choose an underpad size to match the location where it will be placed. For example, an 18” x 18” pad is appropriate protection for chairs, wheelchairs, or couch seats. A pad that is 34” x 36” is a great size for beds.
Most disposable underpad products are available in light, moderate, heavy, and heavy duty absorbency levels. The higher the absorbency level, the more liquid the pad will hold. A lower level of absorbency will usually be more cost-effective option. However, if there is a lot of leakage, higher absorbency underpads will be necessary.
If you have clients who need incontinence supplies, please refer them to ActivStyle. Contact ActivStyle’s Provider Services team today at 855-373-5141, Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Central Time. You can also email our staff at You may also conveniently make client or patient referrals online.
FAQs
Q: My client/patient has a prescription, why can’t they get product from ActivStyle?
A: Receiving a prescription from the doctor does not automatically guarantee the client will receive the product they desire. If the insurance does not cover a product, or if ActivStyle is out-of-network with the patient’s insurance, we cannot provide product even if we have a prescription.
Q: What types of medical supplies are available from ActivStyle?
A: ActivStyle is a full-service provider of high-quality, medical grade supplies for at-home use. We offer a wide variety of products including diapers, protective underwear (pull-ups), bladder control pads for women and men, catheters and other urology products, ostomy supplies, nutritional drinks, and more for adults and children.
We want to hear what FAQ topics you are interested in seeing! If you have questions or suggestions for future FAQs, please email us at .
Health News
Continence Management for the Elderly Living at Home
More than 18 million American women and approximately 7 million men suffer from incontinence. While you might think that it is a condition that only affects older individuals, you may be surprised that it affects people of all ages. Many suffer in silence because it is an embarrassing topic to discuss with friends, family, or health care providers.
At ActivStyle, we believe that knowledge is power. Helping your clients to live confidently with incontinence is a primary mission for our organization. Every individual who works for ActivStyle is dedicated to helping to improve the lives of those who we serve.
Urinary incontinence can be intractable and ongoing. You may have a client who is newly diagnosed. Or you may have assessed your client, carried out investigations, tried conservative therapies and possibly even surgery. You’ve tried everything and your client still has urinary incontinence and they are desperately looking to you for help and advice.
As well as providing treatment and therapy options, health professionals and case managers have an important role to play in assisting clients to live with their condition and better manage it in their daily lives, regardless of where they are in the treatment trajectory. You play an important role in assisting clients to deal with the emotional impact of urinary incontinence, as you are sometimes the only person with whom the problem is discussed frankly. Rather than simply treat it as a nuisance, you can offer knowledge and support that can assist your clients to problem-solve and develop plans for living more effectively with urinary incontinence. This will improve clients’ quality of life, minimize or prevent secondary problems and give them more control over their lives.
All people with urinary incontinence self-manage, but not always in ways that contribute to living independent and pleasurable lives. Research has shown that urinary incontinence has a major impact on physical, emotional, and social health and wellbeing, including sleep problems, psychological distress, restrictions in physical activity, travel, leisure, work, relationships and sexuality. The consequences of urinary incontinence can include embarrassment, odor, social isolation, stigma and financial cost, and it can even lead to institutionalization and depression.
Urinary incontinence can range from mild (for example, a few drops when coughing or sneezing) to severe (such as gushing without warning). However, the bother and impact of urinary incontinence is not simply related to severity. It depends on many personal characteristics such as age, gender, activity level, context (such as work situation), lifestyle and relationships. Very mild urinary incontinence can have a major and devastating impact on one person, while another with more severe incontinence may manage it with less stress.
If you have clients dealing with incontinence, ActivStyle is your partner in patient care. Our representatives are trained to recommend appropriate products to help your client manage their incontinence and live full, dignified lives without the shame and embarrassment that often comes with being incontinent. We’ll ship their products to them every month in discreet brown boxes and follow up with them each month to make sure they need the products and to see if their needs have changed. Have peace of mind that when you put your patient in the capable hands of the ActivStyle team, that they will have what they need to effectively manage their incontinence.
If you have questions for the ActivStyle Provider Services team call toll-free at 855-373-5141, Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Central Time. You can also email our staff at . If you’d like to refer a client or patient, you may make client or patient referrals online.
ActivStyle is Your Partner in Patient Care
Wouldn’t it be great if you spent less time mired in case-related paperwork and details and more time helping those who need you? ActivStyle is a full-service provider of high-quality, high-value home medical supplies serving thousands of practitioners and case managers across the United States. Our product expertise and knowledge of constantly changing state and federal regulations allow us to give you — and the clients who depend on you — the level of service you need and deserve.
Founded in 1997 in Minneapolis, MN, ActivStyle has grown to over 200 employees compassionately serving patients in 47 states with their medical supply needs. Specializing in incontinence, urological, and ostomy supplies, our trained Product Experts are available to discuss product options, insurance benefits, free delivery, or product samples. Feel free to call one of our Provider Services representatives toll-free at 855-373-5141, Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Central Time, they’ll be happy to talk with you and answer any questions you may have about our products, services, or take a referral over the phone. You may also conveniently make client or patient referrals online. Emails to our staff are welcome at .
At ActivStyle, we’re dedicated to making your life easier.
