please answer, thanks

[blondenancy]

hi, i am new here and hello to all.my dear mother who is 84 is now going on dialysis.this is all new to me and i need some advice,or any help is appreciated. i dont know what is expected and dont know what to do. please any one answer as i can use all the help i can get. thank you and bless you.

[Beth Witten MSW ACSW]

It's frightening to find out that you or someone you love has kidney failure and needs dialysis to survive. Luckily professionals are there to answer your questions plus there are several print and AV materials that can help you.

Medical Education Institute has a number of print and AV materials it has published through the Life Options Rehabilitation Program. There is even a booklet written especially for family members called New Life, New Hope: A Booklet for Families and Friends of Renal Patients. Read a description of all the free materials that are available through Life Options at http://www.lifeoptions.org (look under "Free Materials"). If you want to order audiotapes or videotapes, you can order them for free online or by calling (800) 468-7777. You can also ask MEI if you can speak with someone about kidney disease and treatment. MEI refers people that call to me.

Besides the Life Options website, MEI has a couple of other websites on kidney disease and treatment options:
-- http://www.kidneyschool.org
-- http://www.homedialysis.org

Besides MEI, there are many other organizations that have information to help patients and their families understand and cope with kidney failure. Three of these include:
-- American Association of Kidney Patients (http://www.aakp.org)
-- American Kidney Fund (http://www.kidneyfund.org)
-- National Kidney Foundation (http://www.kidney.org)

I hope this gives you a starting point to help you and your mother learn about and cope with kidney disease and dialysis.