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September is Healthy Aging Month

2024-03-28T21:01:48-04:00September 9th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Quality of Life|Tags: |

By Kathi Niccum Ed.D, Education Director Healthy aging is important for all age groups.  It includes all aspects of your life, including both physical and mental health.  Healthy aging is especially important when you live with a chronic illness.   It is all too easy to become overwhelmed and neglect other aspects of your health.  So celebrate healthy aging month by setting or reaffirming personal goals and engaging in activities promoting a healthy lifestyle. Here are some examples of what you can do to promote a heathy lifestyle: 1.     Stay active Exercise is important for maintaining both physical and mental aspects of health. [...]

Living Well on Dialysis

2024-03-28T21:02:04-04:00May 6th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Fact Sheet, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Stress Management|

If you receive dialysis treatments for kidney disease, you probably spend a lot of time focused on your physical health. That’s important -- but so, too, is your mental and emotional well-being. Dialysis is life-saving, but it’s also life-changing. Still, by taking charge of your emotional health -- and accepting help when you need it -- you can live a rewarding life on dialysis. Rollercoaster Emotions Dialysis requires significant time and effort. In addition to the considerable time spent traveling to and from appointments and receiving treatment itself, people receiving dialysis must carefully monitor their diet and fluid intake. It’s [...]

CDC aims to increase awareness of sepsis

2024-06-07T11:43:10-04:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle|Tags: |

Sepsis is the body’s reaction to an infection, leading to organ and tissue damage, and possible death. To raise awareness, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) designated September as Sepsis Awareness Month for the general public and health professionals. Infection prevention is especially important for dialysis patients, as bloodstream infections occur in 37,000 dialysis patients per year. The CDC feature blog posts documenting experiences with sepsis from a medical perspective, and include ways to improve care and treatment options. These resources are also available to patients, which include videos and fact sheets.

Prevention of Kidney Stones Vital for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

2024-03-28T21:04:50-04:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: Early Intervention, eNews, Lifestyle, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: , |

Some people who repeatedly develop kidney stones may also have high levels of calcium deposits in their blood vessels. A study recently published by the American Society of Nephrology suggests that this could explain their increased risk for cardiovascular disease. "It's becoming clear that having kidney stones is a bit like having raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol, or diabetes in that it is another sign of, or risk factor for, cardiovascular disease and its consequences," said study co-author Robert Unwin of University College London. The main message "is to begin to take having kidney stones seriously in relation to cardiovascular disease [...]

Challenges Appear on Horizon for Dialysis Workforce

2024-03-28T21:04:57-04:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: Employment, eNews, Lifestyle|

The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) recently conducted a survey which found that 51% of nephrology residency programs go unfilled. The American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) also recently surveyed its membership, and 39% of respondents said their unit has insufficient staff, creating a rushed environment that contributes to incomplete work! Many ANNA survey respondents saw overlap between their working conditions and patients’ treatment conditions. Another area of concern for respondents was long hours, which contribute to various errors. While most nephrology nurses rated patient safety favorably, there is always room for improvement. There has also been a recent trend of declining [...]

Staying Well with Chronic Kidney Disease: Basic Guidelines for Eating and Exercise

2024-03-28T21:05:12-04:00March 8th, 2016|Categories: Fact Sheet, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Physical Health, The Kidney Citizen|

By Danielle Kirkman, PhD For some people with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), following a diet prescribed by their doctor may help to delay the need for dialysis. A diet will not cure kidney disease. A dietitian can help you develop a diet plan that follows your doctor’s recommendations and is also realistic. Eating healthy foods can help you feel well. A meal plan made to fit your needs can help you: get to a healthy weight or stay at a healthy weight, control your blood pressure, control your blood glucose (sugar) and lower your risk of heart disease by giving [...]

September is National Emergency Preparedness Month

2024-03-28T21:06:07-04:00September 25th, 2015|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle|

As part of National Emergency Preparedness Month, the Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) has designated this week Kidney Patient Disaster Awareness week. KCER is offering resources such as information cards and fact sheets on how dialysis patients can prepare for natural disasters. One of KCER’s tips involves putting together supplies for a three-day emergency diet. While it won’t replace dialysis, it will help reduce the effects of being off dialysis for a few days should an emergency occur.  KCER recommends stocking bottled or distilled water, foods low in phosphorous, sodium and sugar, and limiting fluid intake. More information can be found [...]

Are You Getting Enough High-Quality Sleep?

2024-03-28T21:06:14-04:00May 28th, 2015|Categories: Early Intervention, eNews, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Nutrition, Peritoneal Dialysis, Physical Health, What Causes Kidney Disease|

We all know that sleep is important, yet many of us never seem to get enough of it. The journal Sleep Review recently found that 67% of end-stage renal disease patients said they were impacted by sleep disorders that prevented them from getting enough sleep. These sleep disorders include periodic leg movement syndrome (PLMS), restless legs syndrome (RLS), insomnia and sleep apnea. Researchers from Monash University reported in the journal Renal Failure that lack of sleep, especially when coupled with chronic kidney disease, leads to hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, lower quality of life and shorter life expectancy. This leaves many kidney patients [...]

Progress on Bloodstream-Associated Infections

2024-03-28T21:06:20-04:00January 27th, 2015|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Treatment|Tags: , |

With recent changes in dialysis payment, dialysis providers will now be held accountable for reducing bloodstream-associated infections. Research shows that when health care professionals are educated and evaluated on infection control requirements and they follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), bloodstream-associated infections can be reduced dramatically. This is why our affiliate, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC), continues to remain active with the CDC Bloodstream Infection Collaborative, including organizing patient focus groups to identify how patients can help. The CDC recently announced a 46% decrease in central-line associated bloodstream infections. Bloodstream infections are often preventable, which is why we [...]

Proper Disinfection Practices Can Eliminate The Spread of Ebola

2024-03-28T21:06:23-04:00December 2nd, 2014|Categories: Dialysis, eNews, Lifestyle|Tags: |

Dialysis facilities have infection control policies and procedures in place to protect their patients and staff from coming in contact with any blood borne diseases, but diligence in following those policies and procedures is imperative to protect us all. Dialysis staff are instructed to treat all patients with standard precautions. These include gloves, masks over the nose and mouth, shields or goggles for eye protection and waterproof gowns whenever there is risk for exposure. Staff should wash their hands and change gloves between every patient to reduce the risk of transmission of any infectious material, in particular blood.  You should always [...]

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