31st July 2013 cristinavas

Living with Kidney disease

Emotions

Living with kidney problems can have a big impact on the way people live life and for some it can be a difficult experience. They may need support at different times to help with problems or difficulties they may be having.

These problems or difficulties could be:

  • Worries about treatment
  • Worries about the future
  • Their diagnosis or investigations or results
  • Decisions to make or questions to ask
  • Stress/ anxiety
  • Family or relationships
  • Work or financial worries
  • Practical issues of treatment
  • When treatments don’t go as expected

People deal differently with health problems or other issues. Some people cope very well, while others find it more difficult and take longer to adjust to what is happening to them. This is understandable, and doesn’t necessarily mean you will always feel this way. People can become depressed, anxious or even angry about what is happening to them, that’s normal, and some people need and want further support to manage these issues.

People that can support you are:

  • Your nursing team (in hospital and community nurses)
  • Your Kidney doctor/ your GP
  • Renal (Kidney) Psychologists
  • Patient support groups, locally and nationally
  • Other patients, family and friends
  • Social workers / citizen advice workers

Please speak to any of your health care teams if your feel you need more support or want any information on any of the above.

Carers

More than six million people give some of their time to care for someone they love – that’s one in eight people in the UK. If you have a carer or are yourself caring for someone with a long-term health condition or disability, there is advice and information on the following websites:

Financial support

Many Kidney Patients or their carers face financial difficulties – this is not unusual or surprising. Before seeking a grant, or other help from a charity, check to see whether you have claimed all the benefits available from Department of work and Pensions.

For further information on any of these benefits and applications you can visit this website

www.kidney.org.uk

or

contact Department of Work & Pensions, either call in at your local Job Centre or DWP Office or call the Benefits Enquiry Line on 0800 882200.

Employment and working support

You may feel you need to make adjustments to your working patterns and type of work you do at some stage dependant on the work you do.

You may be able to speak to your employers occupational health departments or get advice on from the Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) at your local Job centre.

You can get more information from this website

https://www.gov.uk/browse/working

Further information

  • Kidney patient guide – www.kidneypatientguide.org.uk
  • Hope Kidney patients association (HOPE KPA) –  info.hopekpa@gmail.com
  • National kidney Federation – http://www.kidney.org.uk, 08456010209
  • National Kidney Research Fund
  • Kidney Research UK
  • NHS Choices
  • Edren ( Edinburgh renal unit website)
  • British Kidney Patients Association ( BKPA)
  • Nice guidelines
  • NHS Direct
  • Polycystic kidney disease foundation
  • Pkd.org.uk
  • Diabetes.org.uk
  • Patient and Advice Liason service
  • 01612061494

 

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