ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) is hosting the third annual Dialysis at Home summit, a free, online event in which participants will hear from patients, home dialysis advocates, care partners and health professionals about home dialysis options, quality of life benefits and achieving goals while on dialysis.

The one-day summit is part of AKF’s AKF’s Kidney Health for All™ initiative, which focuses on improving health equity in kidney disease, particularly for people from racial and ethnic minority groups who are most disproportionately affected by kidney failure. A key pillar of the initiative is increasing awareness and use of home dialysis. Home dialysis—which includes peritoneal dialysis, conventional home hemodialysis, nocturnal home hemodialysis and short daily home hemodialysis—allows people with kidney failure more independence and can result in better quality of life, lower risk of infection, expanded diet choices and more employment options.

According to the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), usage of home dialysis is low, although the percentage of patients performing home dialysis increased from 7.5% in 2011 to 13.4% in 2021. White and Asian dialysis patients perform home dialysis at a higher rate than Black and Hispanic patients do; socioeconomic conditions likely play an important role, according to the USRDS reports.

“Dialysis is a lifesaving treatment that can be very taxing physically and emotionally for people living with kidney failure,” said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF President and CEO. “Home dialysis can provide a better quality of life for some patients over going to a clinic, but many people are not aware that it may be an option for them—especially people of color. The Dialysis at Home summit aims to provide patients and their loved ones with the knowledge and resources to make informed decisions about what is best for their kidney health care.”

Dialysis at Home will include sessions on a variety of topics such as managing health conditions associated with home dialysis, home dialysis safety and how providers and patients can best collaborate on home dialysis care. The summit will also include a virtual cooking demonstration from Dr. Blake Shusterman, also known as “The Cooking Doc,” who will walk participants through the creation of a tasty, kidney-friendly meal. Participants will also hear from patients, advocates, care partners and health professionals throughout the day.  

The summit is aimed at anyone seeking to learn more about home dialysis, including people who are currently on dialysis, people who are preparing to begin dialysis, people managing late-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD), family members and friends who serve as caregivers and medical providers interested in helping their patients better understand the pros and cons of different dialysis types. It will also provide an opportunity for members of the kidney community to connect with others who are going through the same or similar experiences. 

AKF is grateful to Amgen for its support of this educational initiative.

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About the American Kidney Fund

The American Kidney Fund (AKF) fights kidney disease on all fronts as the nonprofit with the greatest direct impact on people with kidney disease. AKF works on behalf of 1 in 7 Americans living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, with an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease—from prevention through transplant. AKF fights for kidney health for all through programs that address early detection, disease management, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation and advocacy. AKF is one of the nation’s top-rated nonprofits, investing 97 cents of every donated dollar in programs, and holds the highest 4-Star rating from Charity Navigator for 21 consecutive years and the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, formerly known as GuideStar.

For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Nancy Gregory
American Kidney Fund
(240) 292-7077
ngregory@kidneyfund.org