Home Hemo without Carer

[Stoday]

I know Kickstart can't have home hemo because she has no carer and maybe others in the UK are in the same boat.
I talked about this with my neph this afternoon. He had not come across the NICE report “Technology Appraisal Guidance – No. 48”  that included the option of home hemo without a carer. He had an open mind about the issue so I have sent him a copy; I'm looking forward to his response.

The report includes these comments:

Although the majority of patients had a carer (or
carers) at home to assist with dialysis, this was not
always the case. Home haemodialysis remained an
option in the absence of a carer, but an individual’s
suitability would depend on the confidence and
competence of the patient to carry out the process
alone

A patient selected for or currently receiving
haemodialysis in a hospital or satellite unit is offered
the option of home haemodialysis when the following
are present. The patient...

•   has a carer who has (or carers who have) also
made an informed decision to assist with the
haemodialysis unless the individual is able to
manage on his or her own

In general, patients who are suitable for home haemodialysis
are those who:

•   have a carer (or more than one carer) who has decided, after
discussing all the issues, to help with the haemodialysis (this
doesn’t apply to patients who can carry out the haemodialysis
on their own)

Maybe Kickstart and others might find this helpful.






EDITED:Moved to home dialysis area-kitkatz,Moderator

[KICKSTART]

  Interesting , im a while off yet, but food for thought . Im sure i would be quite capable after 5 yrs of PD ! What facilities do we need ? Also who foots the bill ?

[Hanify]

Over here they encourage everyone (who is able) to do home haemo - carer or not.  So there are quite a few people who do it that live on their own.  I can find out more about it if you like. Maybe you could put the pressure on in the UK too.  The bill is footed just like everything here - by the government.  I believe it is actually cheaper to do home haemo than in centre, so you would think they'd want to get the system working wouldn't you?

[del]

Home hemo is all funded by the govt here as well.  It is being encouraged more and more although they still want you to have a partner. It is cheaper and MUCH better!!  You get to set your own schedule and do it on your time not what the unit schedules!!

[jennyc]

Tell you what, don't you love having Govt funded medical! Anyway, from what the nurse told me there are quite a few aussies who are on home haemo and live alone, apparently in my state they don't see it as a problem. I think it saves them over $20k each year per patient. We get and allowance of 100,000 litres of water from sydney water (every 3 months), rebates on electricity. So we still aren't out of pocket.

I was warned in that once training commences the nurse would rather I bring no one with me till the last session. Hubs will be given a brief overview but the rest will be up to me. I find not having to have a 'carer' very liberating, that was another good thing about pd, independance.