7/27 AKF Laughter Webinar

The American Kidney Fund will present a free 27 July, 2017 webinar on Laughter Therapy in Dialysis: Exercise, Activity, and Wellness.  The webinar will cover recent research exploring laughter therapy during dialysis and provide demonstrations and recommendations on how to introduce laughter therapy into a dialysis or CKD treatment program.  Laughter therapy consists of breathing and stretching exercises followed by intentional laughter exercises and laughter meditation.  It is a safe, low-intensity form of physical activity during dialysis that has potential to reduce chronic pain and depression.  While the webinar is aimed toward dialysis patients and their families, health professionals are encouraged to attend to learn more about integrating laughter therapy into a dialysis center or practice.  For more information and registration, and access to recordings of past AKF webinars, see http://www.kidneyfund.org/training/webinars/ .

6/16 AKF Protein Webinar

AKF will present a June 16, 2017 webinar on Protein: Who Needs It Anyway?  You Do!  Find details and register at http://www.kidneyfund.org/training/webinars/ .

At the same web page you can find recordings of their past webinars, including:

• Humanizing Dialysis; Choosing the best type of treatment for kidney failure can be difficult for patients, especially when they receive little guidance
• Saying no to dialysis: choosing conservative care for end-stage kidney disease
• A patient’s perspective: Be your own advocate; Navigating the health care system as a patient can be challenging
• Heart disease and kidney disease – what’s the connection? – Heart disease can cause kidney disease, and kidney disease can cause heart disease
• Unique strategies for improving the effectiveness of exercise training in patients with kidney failure
• Paired kidney exchanges and opportunities for kidney transplant in minority patients
• Living with diabetic kidney disease; Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, and many people suffer from both conditions
• Enfermedad de los riñones crónica: prevención y tratamiento; Con motivo de la celebración del Mes de la Herencia Hispana, ¡brindaremos nuestro primer seminario web en español!
• Emergency preparedness and kidney disease – using KCER as a resource
• Organ transplant among minorities: How we can reduce the need and improve access
• I need a kidney transplant.  Am I covered now?  What about in the future?
• Staying employed with kidney disease; A diagnosis of kidney failure doesn’t have to mean quitting your job
• What CAN I eat?  Nutrition for dialysis patients
• Living with chronic kidney disease: The ups, downs, and all arounds
• Chronic Kidney Disease: A General Overview and Keys for Successful Management

3/23 DPC Sex with CKD Webinar

Dialysis Patient Citizens will present a webinar on Sex and Intimacy with CKD March 23, 2017.  Sex is good medicine.  It has health benefits, feels good, strengthens relationships and makes life more rewarding. CKD can interfere with physical intimacy, but it can’t prevent it.  Learn about why sex is important, possible, and beneficial. Learn ways to be intimate that any body can do, how to enjoy it more, and how to find new sources of physical connection.  For more information on the webinar and registration, see https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/nwrn.org/files/N/DPC.sex.0317.pdf .

3/26/17 Kidney Walk Seattle

NKF will sponsor Seattle’s first-ever Kidney Walk, on March 26, 2017 at Safeco Field.  For information and registration, see http://donate.kidney.org/site/TR?fr_id=8556&pg=entry .

Kidney Walks will also be held in Irvine CA on May 21, 2017 and San Diego CA on June 4, 2017.  Find full information on starting one in your area at http://donate.kidney.org/site/PageServer?pagename=kidney_walk_splash .

Nat’l Diabetes Awareness Month

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and Diabetic Eye Disease Month, while World Diabetes Day is on November 14.  Websites with useful information include:

• https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/FFSProvPartProg/Provider-Partnership-Email-Archive-Items/2016-11-10-eNews.html?DLPage=1&DLEntries=10&DLSort=0&DLSortDir=descending#_Toc466383214
• https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6543a6.htm?s_cid=mm6543a6_e 
• http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/american-diabetes-month.html 
• https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-communication-programs/ndep/partnership-community-outreach/national-diabetes-month/Pages/default.aspx 
• https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/national-diabetes-month-connect-your-community-better-health 
• http://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/avoiding-burnout-in-national-diabetes-month 
• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=national+diabetes+month&id=C4190C07C26DEF4B0BFC072126806287FE716C91&FORM=IQFRBA 

 

2/24 Patient Call re Exercise

AAKP HealthLine will present a webinar and conference call on The Importance of Exercise for all Stages of Kidney Disease on February 24, 2016, led by Patricia Painter, PhD.  With the start of a new year, if exercise, fitness, and living a healthier lifestyle isn’t on everyone’s mind, it should be, especially for those living with kidney disease.  Join us as we learn the importance of staying fit, how to incorporate exercise regardless of your stage of kidney disease or modality, and the overall benefits of being the healthiest you can possibly be.  For details and registration, see https://www.aakp.org/community/programs-events/aakp-healthline.html .  You can watch webinars from their archives at https://www.aakp.org/media-files/aakp-healthline.html .

Exercise after Transplant Research Survey

Because exercise and fitness have been linked to transplant outcomes, the University of Utah Department of Physical Therapy is conducting a research survey on exercise and physical activity after transplant.  AAKP, NKF, and a number of other organizations have invited their members to participate, but any transplant recipient is eligible.  For more information, see https://redcap01.brisc.utah.edu/ccts/redcap/surveys/?s=AUQ5K3xRh5.