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 four 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.