survive and thrive

CKD education program adapts to reach more people with kidney disease

Community, Education - , , -

Sara Prato and Michelle Rowlett, members of our CKD team, and Bob Crabtree from The Road Back to Life hold virtual classes to educate members of the community about chronic kidney disease.

Our very popular Chronic Kidney Disease Survive and Thrive program—which reaches people at many stages of CKD as well as those at risk for it—had planned a major expansion to new communities in 2020. But as we began to roll out the program, plans were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the next few months, we transitioned Survive and Thrive to an all-virtual format, ensuring that CKD education would be available to those who need it.

Our web-based virtual program went live in June 2020 and became an immediate success. From June to December 2020, we offered 23 classes (two six-week sessions, five check-in classes and six community classes), attended by 214 people from throughout the Puget Sound region. In the classes, we provided extra learning materials—handouts, recipes and giveaways—to foster a sense of connection between instructors, the virtual classroom and participants at home. Class surveys show that attendees are increasing their knowledge of CKD, learning new lifestyle behaviors to protect their kidneys and working to stay as healthy as possible. An incredible 100% of those attending said they would recommend the program to others!

In 2020, our education team also created a series of videos to support online learning. As we move further into 2021, we plan to continue to expand our virtual program. Our hope is to provide in-person classes again when it is safe to do so but also continue with our virtual format, for those who prefer to learn in the comfort of their homes.

It’s easier than ever to learn more about kidney care through one of our online classes. Register for one of our upcoming classes at www.pskc.net/classes. Wondering which one to sign up for? Survive and Thrive is a six-week program for people with chronic kidney disease stages 2 to 4. By focusing on healthy lifestyle behaviors to protect and stabilize kidney function, the goal of this program is to help people learn lifestyle changes they can make now to help protect their kidneys. For people with chronic kidney disease stages 4 to 5, who will soon start treatment, we offer our Healthy Options classes. In this two-week program, you will learn more about treatment options and to feel better prepared when treatment starts. Family and friends are welcome to join you in either of these programs.

Our Community Classes are for anyone who wants to learn more about how kidneys work, healthy eating and other ways to protect your kidney function.

Learn more and register online at www.pskc.net/classes!

Survive and thrive with Tena!

Patient stories - , , , -

Happy World Kidney Day! Whether you’ve just been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, have been on dialysis for some time or are waiting for a transplant, there are a number of ways to prolong the life of your kidneys and improve your overall health.

Two years ago, Tena saw a brochure at her nephrologist’s office for PSKC’s Survive and Thrive with Chronic Kidney Disease program, a free community class hosted by PSKC year round. The goal of the program is to teach people with early kidney problems about making successful lifestyle changes. Subjects covered include healthy eating, exercise, blood pressure management, coping with kidney disease and treatment options. In class, participants meet with a doctor, physician assistant, social worker, dietitians and patient mentors.

Tena H. learned more about dialysis through our Survive and Thrive program.

Tena was newly diagnosed with stage three CKD and had a lot of questions and concerns about living a healthy, happy life. After attending the first class, Tena started to feel that “this disease is not a death sentence and there’s a lot of hope.” Specifically, Tena found hope and support hearing from members of the patient organization, The Road Back to Life. “They really make you listen and know you’re not alone.”

After completing the classes, Tena said she learned many new skills to promote her health or, as she calls it, develop a “new normal.” She learned that the nutrition piece and social work piece are just as important as the nephrology visits. She also learned how to appropriately read food labels, cook with different herbs and spices, and plan ahead to carry out a fulfilled life. Tena’s support network expanded as well. She said she walked away from the class feeling that “when you share, you can connect.”

Now Tena is taking what she learned in class and bringing it to her community. Most recently she connected with PSKC social workers to talk with her peers about advance care planning. Thank you, Tena, for sharing your story and helping us ignite new conversations about health and wellness!

Learn more about our free classes at www.pskc.net/classes.

test