Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) occurs when the kidneys gradually lose their ability to filter waste, remove excess fluid, and help regulate important body functions. End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), also called kidney failure, is the most advanced stage of kidney disease and requires ongoing treatment such as dialysis or a kidney transplant to replace lost kidney function. Learning about your condition can help you better understand your treatment options, participate in decisions about your care, and take steps to protect your health.
KHARES provides links to trusted educational resources to help patients, caregivers, and families navigate life with kidney disease. Explore information about dialysis, kidney transplantation, nutrition, medications, emergency preparedness, patient rights, financial and transportation assistance, and community support services. These resources are designed to help you build confidence, prepare for emergencies, and connect with organizations and healthcare professionals who can support you throughout your kidney care journey.
Resources
- Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- Understanding End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
- Dialysis Treatment Options
- Kidney Transplant Information
- KHARES Patient Rights and Responsibilities
- KHARES Patient Rights and Responsibilities (Espanol)
- NKF Nutrition and Kidney-Friendly Eating
- NKF Emergency Preparedness for Dialysis Patients
- NIH Financial Assistance and Insurance Resources
- Transportation Assistance
- NKF Support Groups and Community Resources
Understanding Your Treatment Options
If you have kidney failure, you have treatment choices. Your options may include in-center hemodialysis, home hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, kidney transplant, or supportive care that focuses on comfort and quality of life. Each option has benefits, risks, and daily life considerations. Talk with your kidney care team, family, and care partners about which option may be right for your health needs, lifestyle, and goals.
Treatment Types:
- Learn about performing your own dialysis at home: Home dialysis
- If you choose to go to a dialysis center, learn about In-center hemodialysis
- If you are interested in transplantation, you can access information about transplant evaluation, living donation, waiting lists, and post-transplant care. These nationally recognized resources will help you navigate each step of the transplant process.
Helpful Resources:
Sometimes patients and families may choose supportive care as their final option.
If you are considering dialysis treatment, you will need a dialysis access to be created. Learn more about your dialysis access options with these resources:
Learn more about Kidney Disease
- What is ESRD?
- Understanding dialysis
- Questions to ask your care team
- Understanding Form CMS-2728
- American Kidney Fund financial assistance programs
- National Kidney Foundation insurance and prescription assistance resources
- Social Security Disability and Medicare information
- 211 for local help with food, housing, transportation, utilities, and health care needs
- Medicare answers question about insurance coverage
Learn more about Kidney Diseases – National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Kidney disease information
- Dialysis
- Kidney transplant
- CKD education
- Patient handouts
Your Diet Is Key
Following a special diet to help with your kidney disease is an important consideration. Meeting with a dietitian to learn what is best for you is the key. We have provided a list of resources that offer kidney friendly diet resources to use with your dietitians’ recommendations.
1. National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Nutrition Hub
The NKF offers comprehensive nutrition education for kidney disease, including CKD and dialysis diets, nutrient guides (sodium, potassium, phosphorus, protein), and recipe videos.
NKF Nutrition Hub The National Kidney Foundation
2. Kidney-Friendly Nutrition Resources – National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM)
Provides a downloadable Kidney-Friendly Food List, tips for dining out, budget-friendly eating, and a dietitian directory.
NKFM Kidney-Friendly Nutrition Resources National Kidney Foundation of Michigan
3. National Kidney Foundation – Diet & Meal Planning
Guides on creating a Kidney-Friendly Plate, plant-based eating, comfort food swaps, and cultural diet guides (e.g., Mexican kidney-friendly diet).
NKF Diet & Meal Planning The National Kidney Foundation
4. National Kidney Foundation of Illinois (NKFI) – Diet & Nutrition
Includes apps, cookbooks (e.g., Everyday Eating Cookbook), and video series for patients at any stage of kidney disease.
NKFI Diet & Nutrition National Kidney Foundation of Illinois
5. Kidney Kitchen – American Kidney Fund
Over 200 kidney-friendly recipes, with collections for vegetarian, gluten-free, heart-healthy, low-carb, and nutrient-specific diets.
Kidney Kitchen Recipes Kidney Kitchen
6. Kidney Kitchen – Dietary Needs & Nutrient Guides
Helps patients find recipes tailored to specific dietary needs and provides potassium, sodium, and phosphorus guides.
AAKP Delicious! Kidney-friendly recipes
Caregiver Support
Caring for someone living with kidney disease or receiving dialysis is an important role. Caregivers and care partners may help with transportation to dialysis, medications, appointments, meal planning, communication with the healthcare team, home dialysis responsibilities, and emotional support. During an emergency, caregivers may also help make sure the person they support has a plan for continuing dialysis, knows how to contact their dialysis facility, and has essential medications, supplies, food, and important medical information available.
Caregiving can also be demanding. Caregivers should remember their own health and well-being matter. Asking for help, sharing responsibilities with family or friends, connecting with other caregivers, and speaking with the dialysis facility social worker or healthcare team can help. Caregivers are encouraged to learn about kidney disease and dialysis, participate in emergency planning, and use trusted support services when additional assistance is needed.
NKF Family and Caregiver Resources
Your role as a Home Dialysis Care Partner
Caregiver and Care Partner Resources
Care Partner Burnout and Self-Care
Remember: Caregivers Need Support, Too
You do not have to manage every responsibility alone. Talk with the patient’s dialysis facility social worker or healthcare team about caregiver education, transportation assistance, community services, respite resources, emergency planning, and other available support. Building a support network can help both the caregiver and the person receiving kidney care.
The New ESRD Patient Orientation Packet (NEPOP)
Starting dialysis is a major life change, and having access to reliable information can help you feel more prepared and confident. The New ESRD Patient Orientation Packet (NEPOP) was developed to provide patients and their families with essential information about kidney disease, dialysis treatment, and the resources available to support their care. Whether you are new to dialysis or looking to better understand your treatment, NEPOP serves as a trusted guide to help you navigate your kidney care journey.
The packet includes easy-to-understand information on dialysis treatment options, patient rights and responsibilities, emergency preparedness, nutrition, infection prevention, medications, transportation, kidney transplantation, and community support services. It also offers practical tips to help you prepare for treatment, communicate with your healthcare team, and become an active partner in your care. Download the complete New ESRD Patient Orientation Packet or the NEPOP Flyer below to access these educational resources and learn more about managing kidney disease with confidence.
Get Connected
One of the most important actions you can take as a patient or caregiver to thrive with kidney disease is developing relationships and finding support from the community. Here are three simple questions to help guide you in building a kidney care support.
What community engagement activities exist for patients and caregivers?
- Contact your local ESRD Network to find local resources
- Attend monthly KHARES Community of Practice Calls
- Join Quarterly KHARES Townhall meetings
- Search the internet with key words ie support groups for kidney disease, ESRD care, etc…
How Do I/We Get Engaged?
- Join your ESRD Network’s patient groups as available
- Join a national advocacy organization ie Dialysis Patients Citizens
DialysisPatients.org
AAKP.org - Become a peer mentor NKF
Join a ESRD support group ie RSNHope.org
Not ready to join external groups or activities?
Start simply by asking at your facility how you can become more active in your care or help other patients at your center.