News & Events
Discover new information and educational offerings that we provide. Explore our newsletters, blogs and upcoming webinars/conference calls.
Contents:
Improve the Quality of Life for Dialysis Patients by Submitting Your Ideas in Prize Competition
Sometimes the best solution to a problem comes from the people who live and experience the challenge every day. This is one approach that is being taken to help improve the lives of dialysis patients. The KidneyX: Patient Innovator Challenge is a contest where people can submit ideas to help those living with kidney disease, with the chance of receiving a monetary prize. The challenge is organized into two groups: Category 1: "Solutions in Practice," which are solutions already tried or put into practice Category 2: "New Ideas," which are solutions that have not yet been created or tried. If you need additional guidance, some solutions could address ideas and tips for optimal independent living, meaningful social [...]
Support the DPC Education Center on Prime Day
If you are taking advantage of discounts for Amazon Prime Day, don't forget you can support DPC Education Center while you shop online. Amazon will donate a portion of your purchases to the DPC Education Center without added cost. The DPC Education Center is dedicated to empowering kidney disease patients through education, with continual collaboration from health professionals.
More Americans with Disabilities Are Getting Jobs
Employment is higher for working-age Americans with disabilities than one year ago as published in a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Specifically, "the employment-to-population ratio for working-age people with disabilities increased from 29.5 percent in June 2018 to 31 percent in June 2019 (up 5.1 percent or 1.5 percentage points)." Additionally, the labor force participation rate—which is the percentage of the population that is working or actively looking for work—saw gains from 32.5 percent in June 2018 to 33.9 percent in June 2019 (up 4.3 percent or 1.4 percentage points) among working-age people with disabilities. These findings are important because maintaining employment can be difficult for some people with end-stage renal disease due [...]
Why You Should Take A Peek At Your Doctor’s Notes On Your Health
By Victoria Knight, Kaiser Health News When Pamela DeSalvo read the clinical note from her doctor’s visit, the words on the page hit her hard: “clinically morbidly obese.” She knew she was overweight, but seeing those three words together shocked her. It also inspired her to start losing weight. “I needed to see it in black and white, what I actually in my heart already knew. It forced me to get honest with myself,” DeSalvo said. “Reading that note saved my life.” Studies show that, indeed, reading your doctor’s notes can improve your health. DeSalvo lives in Metuchen, NJ, and works in health information technology. In the years after reading her doctor’s notes, DeSalvo kept [...]
A Young Man’s Life-Changing Experience with both Heart and Kidney Disease
Bill Coon became a two-time heart and kidney transplant recipient in his 20s. During the webinar, he will share experiences from his 70-day hospital stay and recovery from a heart and kidney transplant to help others learn how to improve their patient experience. He will also provide insight from his personal experience on what one might expect during post-transplant recovery.
Quick Guide for Receiving Medical Services Not Offered by Medicare
Thousands of Americans with end-stage renal disease rely on Medicare for their healthcare needs. However, there are some medical services, such as dental, vision and hearing, where Medicare coverage is lacking. If you are on Medicare and need these services, here is a three-page guide that provides free and lower-cost treatment resources. Check out the guide.
Kidney Disease and HIV
People with HIV are more likely to develop chronic kidney disease. In addition, some HIV medications can affect the kidneys. Getting tested for HIV, understanding your risk, and living a healthy life are steps you can make to better control your health. National HIV Testing Day is June 27, and the DPC Education Center encourages everyone to get tested for HIV. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. Many people with HIV don’t have any symptoms. In the United States, 1 in 7 people living with HIV don’t know they have it. Even if you don’t feel sick, getting [...]
Childhood Chronic Disease: A Family Affair
Here are the top 10 ways family members can be supportive when a child has a chronic condition.
Caregivers for People with Chronic Illness
By Amy Walters, PhD, Licensed Psychologist Below is a summary handout about understanding and helping the caregivers in our life. What We Know About Caregivers Report feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and lonely Report high levels of stress and depressed symptoms Are tired and sleep deprived Have higher rates of illness (2x higher) but seek medical attention less often Often neglect their own self care Experience more relationship conflicts Feel a sense of loss – independence, freedom, dreams for the future Attitude matters – those who believe they are not effective have higher levels of stress and depression Strong social support systems serve as a buffer for stress, depression, and illness What We Can Do Think [...]
Vocational Rehabilitation Works for You and Your Quality of Life!
During this webinar Elizabeth Jones, MSW, LCSW will discuss 1) the benefits of working, furthering your education, training, volunteering and remaining active, 2) how these benefits can increase the likelihood of receiving a kidney transplant and decrease depression and 3) about work incentives for Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicaid recipients.
Input Needed for Pediatric CKD Booklet
The DPC Education Center is developing a pediatric booklet for tweens and teens about having kidney disease and its treatment. If you have been living with kidney disease since childhood or are a parent of a child with kidney disease, we’d appreciate your response to this short survey by June 21st. Thanks for your input! If you were diagnosed with kidney disease as a child, click here. If you are a parent of a child with kidney disease, click here.
Premature Birth Increases Kidney Disease Risk
Researchers analyzed over four million singleton live births in Sweden during 1973-2014 and found the risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD) was doubled among births before 37 weeks of gestation and tripled among births before 28 weeks. Additionally, researchers found that the risk increased by four percent per premature week. Scientists compared the data to siblings born full-term and found the increased risk for kidney disease was not present among the siblings. The researchers concluded, "Preterm and early term birth are strong risk factors for the development of CKD from childhood into mid-adulthood. People born prematurely need long term follow-up for monitoring and preventive actions to preserve renal function across the life course." Read the [...]
Older Americans: Connect, Create, Contribute
Each year, more and more older adults are making a positive impact for dialysis patients across the country. As advocates, volunteers, employees, employers, educators, mentors and more, they offer insight and experience that benefit the entire community. That’s why Older Americans Month (OAM) has been recognizing the contributions of this growing population for 56 years. Led by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), each May OAM provides resources to help older Americans stay healthy and independent, and resources to help communities support and celebrate their diversity. This year’s OAM theme, Connect, Create, Contribute, encourages older adults and their communities to: Connect with friends, family, and local services and resources. Create through activities that promote learning, [...]
Psychosocial Factors Affecting Children and Families Living with Chronic Illness
During this webinar, Amy Walters, PhD, Clinical Psychologist will discuss: 1) the psychological and emotional side effects of chronic illness on children and families, 2) how illness impacts different stages of childhood development, 3) common concerns reported by parents and children and 4) ways to support children and their families in coping with chronic illness. About the Presenter Amy Walters, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and the Director of Behavioral Health Services for St. Luke’s Humphreys Diabetes Center in Boise, Idaho. Dr. Walters works with patients to overcome barriers to behavioral change, learn to cope with chronic illness, and address issues of anxiety and depression which often coincide with diabetes and other chronic conditions. She [...]
Knowledge is Key for CKD and ESRD Patients
Print out the flier At the Dialysis Patient Citizens Education Center we believe it is extremely important to educate kidney patients at all stages of kidney disease as well as their family members. We offer free, monthly webinars and conference calls on an assortment of topics related to kidney care. We work hard to help fill in the gaps for people living with kidney disease who need to learn more about their disease, treatments and quality of life to enable them to be key members of their health care team. Included is a list of educational topics for the year. Each month we design a flier for the current month’s program. You are [...]
Resources for People Living with Chronic Pain
If you missed last week's webinar on Relieving Pain Through Laughter, the recording is now available. In addition, here is a list of resources for people living with chronic pain: Books Explain Pain, 2nd (2014) David Butler and G. Lorimer Moseley. NOI Publications. Painful yarns, Metaphors & stories to help understand the biology of pain. (2012). G. Lorimer Moseley. The Explain Pain Handbook: Protectometer. (2014). GL Moseley & DS Butler. Your Fibromyalgia Workbook, A Neuroscience Approach to the Understanding and Treatment of Fibromyalgia. (2013). Adriaan Louw. Orthopedic Physical Therapy Products. Why Do I Hurt? A Patient Book about the Neuroscience of Pain. (2013). Adriaan Louw. Orthopedic Physical Therapy Products. Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present [...]
Living with Kidney Disease: Tips for Teens on How to Cope
By Elizabeth Lewan, Communications & Grassroots Program Coordinator at the American Psychological Association Your kidneys have many functions in the body and play an important role in your overall health and wellness. They help the body eliminate harmful toxins by filtering waste and extra fluid from your blood, control blood pressure and keep your bones healthy. Although you have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, you can still live a meaningful and healthy life. You may be feeling scared or unsure about your health or the changes happening to your body. It may seem like you’re on an emotional roller coaster, or you may not know how to feel. Any of those feelings are okay [...]
Martinlow Spaulding: Humorist, Activist and Family Man
April is National Donate Life Month, and it is also National Humor Month. Martinlow Spaulding, living with kidney disease for over 25 years, easily celebrates the significance of both. Spaulding is a transplant recipient who combines humor and laughter in his daily life. He tells a lot of jokes—some of them get a few giggles, and some of them get a few groans. But his positive attitude and outlook on life help him find the “funny” in a lot of situations. Spaulding, the youngest of five children, is the recipient of not one but two gifts of life—both donated by his older siblings. His first transplant was on October 6, 1993, a kidney donated by [...]
Relieving Pain Through Laughter
Joyology is the lifestyle that skillfully blends laughter, humor, and attitudes to help recover from difficulties and re-awaken the joy of being alive. During this webinar you will: 1) learn about joyology as a lifestyle, 2) discover ways to manage pain and 3) understand how laughter can help ease pain. Presented by: Mary Laskin, MN, RN, ACNS-BC and Steve Wilson, Psychologist, The Joyologist
Keep Your Funny Side Up: Discover The Humor Perspective
By Steve Wilson, Psychologist, Joyologist, DPC Education Center Advisory Council Member Here’s a sobering prediction I came across not too long ago: 52% of American executives will die of stress-related illnesses. As a psychologist I know that the emotional tension and stress experiences by those executives will not be caused by the events in their lives. Rather, the stress will be caused by their perceptions of those events. It is not what is happening to us that hurts; it’s how we think about what is happening to us. When you received the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD), it was a lot to learn about and a lot to take in. Yet, when you attended [...]
