DENVER, May 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Kidney Care, a
division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a
leading provider of kidney care services, recognizes the month of
May as Mental Health Month. It brings light to the struggles of
people living with invisible illnesses like depression and the
difficulties in overcoming those adversities.
"People with kidney disease and their caregivers may find
themselves facing depression as they adjust to life on dialysis,"
said Duane Dunn, director of social
work services at DaVita Kidney Care. "In the words of one of our
patients, 'dialysis isn't an easy thing to go through, but
end-stage renal disease isn't end stage – it's just another stage
in your life.'"
Discovering a sense of purpose can be fundamental to a high
quality of life on dialysis, especially as people first adjust to
life on dialysis and re-enter their communities with new
challenges. Whether that purpose derives from working,
volunteering, parenting, attending school or other hobbies and
interests, the important part is to find the motivation to thrive
on dialysis.
For both patients and their caregivers, resource access is a
critical component in managing mental health. Here are some tips
for thriving while on dialysis:
- Openly discuss – Talk with your nephrologist and social
worker because they understand where patients struggle most in
adjusting and coping to life on dialysis.
- Seek counseling – Outpatient services are available in a
variety of different agencies and can be accessed by the local
Department of Human Services.
- Find a support group – Look for support groups that can
understand and empathize with what's happening. There are local
in-person support groups as well as online options that can help
provide guidance.
- Seek Kidney Disease Education – Attending a kidney
disease education class allows attendees to ask questions about
kidney disease and get an understanding of life on dialysis.
- Continue to work – Dialysis patients who continue to
work are 21 percent less likely to experience symptoms of
depression, according to a study published in the Clinical Journal
of the American Society of Nephrology. Working may provide a sense
of purpose and a positive distraction from dialysis, all of which
help contribute to a better quality of life.
DaVita Kidney Care recently launched its Empowering Patients
Program, designed to enhance social workers' skill sets to further
help improve patients' quality of life through behavioral
activation, mindfulness and coping skills. A poster on this program
was presented during the National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical
Meeting in April 2015 and was
recognized as a "Healthcare Professional Top Poster." The poster
highlighted symptom-targeted interventions (STI) by social workers
to help decrease patients' missed dialysis treatments. Aspects of
the program included deep breathing, coping thoughts and behavior
activation. Results suggest that a social-worker-based STI program
improved quality of life for patients involved.
DaVita Kidney Care has shown itself to be a leader in putting
quality at the forefront of the conversation. This has been
recognized by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
with the Five-Star Rating System and CMS' Quality Incentive Program
(QIP). DaVita Kidney Care was recognized with 50 percent of its
centers receiving a four- or five-star rating. With QIP, 98.5
percent of DaVita Kidney Care's centers rated among the top
clinical performance tiers in the country.
About DaVita Kidney Care
DaVita Kidney Care is a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners
Inc., a Fortune 500(r) company that, through its operating
divisions, provides a variety of health care services to patient
populations throughout the United
States and abroad. A leading provider of dialysis services
in the United States, DaVita
Kidney Care treats patients with chronic kidney failure and end
stage renal disease. DaVita Kidney Care strives to improve
patients' quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by
offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and
convenient health-management services. As of Dec. 31, 2014, DaVita Kidney Care operated or
provided administrative services at 2,179 outpatient dialysis
centers located in the United
States serving approximately 173,000 patients. The company
also operated 91 outpatient dialysis centers located in 10
countries outside the United
States. DaVita Kidney Care supports numerous programs
dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities
around the world. The company's leadership development initiatives
and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune,
Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information,
please visit DaVita.com.
DaVita and DaVita HealthCare Partners are trademarks or
registered trademarks of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.
Contact Information
Media:
Justin Forbis
Justin.Forbis@davita.com
303-876-7496
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SOURCE DaVita Kidney Care