April Newsletter
Check out all our latest updates
Spring has officially arrived and most of us are looking forward to being outside and getting back to activities such as gardening, grilling and exercising in beautiful weather. Now more than ever, these are the type of activities that give us hope, a positive outlook and a better quality of life. This issue of the HDU newsletter touches on some of those ideas.
Aerobic Excercise May Help Dialysis-Related Symptoms
For most people, spring also means renewing good intentions to "get moving." Research repeatedly finds that exercise is a tremendous benefit for both the general population and for dialyzors.
"An analysis of published clinical trials suggests that aerobic exercise lessens several hemodialysis-related symptoms, including restless leg syndrome, symptoms of depression, muscle cramping, and fatigue. More research, with more diverse patients, is needed to determine the extent of benefits from aerobic exercise for individuals with kidney failure who are undergoing dialysis."
Medical Education Institute Seeks Study Participants
MEI is looking to talk with people who have had 3+ types of treatment for kidney failure. We want to learn more about your experience living with each type of treatment. Types of treatment are:
*A kidney transplant
*Any kind of hemodialysis
*Any kind of peritoneal dialysis
You will receive a $30 gift card for a 60-90 minute conversation! We will talk using a free and easy video conference that works on your phone, tablet or computer! If you are interested, please call MEI Director of Research and Development Renata Sledge, PhD, LCSW at 317-451-9298 or email rsledge@mei.org.
Here is a link to the flyer about the study:
Tool to Assess Patients' Home Dialysis Experience
A tool such as this, which specifically addresses the home dialyzor experience, is long overdue. HDU wants to know what you think? What would you change? Are these these domains pertinent? HDU wants to hear from you about this tool. Email ngedney@homedialyzorsunited.org with your insight and comments.
"Investigators recently designed a tool to assess patients' home dialysis care experience. They first conducted a literature review to identify domains of home dialysis care that could be important to address, and then interviewed home dialysis patients, home dialysis nurses, patient care partners, and kidney specialists. This was followed by a national stakeholder survey to prioritize important elements of care. The tool is called the Home Dialysis Care Experience (Home-DCE) instrument, a 26-item patient-reported experience measure. The work is described in an article published in CJASN. An editorial and Patient Voice accompany the article."
ASN Creating Positive Change
The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is committed to bettering the lives of those with kidney disease and will be working closely with the Biden administration to make that happen. Click on the link below to read about their initiatives.
Kidney Quotables
Spring is often viewed as a time of renewal and hope. Dialyzors may experience quite a lot of "slush" in their lives, but the sunshine, warm weather, and gentle breezes this time of year can provide a renewed sense of optimism as well. Whistle on!
A Final Thought
Please don't forget to check the HDU social media sites on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These are the places where you are able to get support and inspiration from others who share your concerns. You are encouraged to provide your input and feedback.