Guide to Caring for Someone with Kidney Failure

Guide to Caring for Someone with Kidney Failure - MalaysiaCaregiving Support

Guide to Caring for Someone with Kidney Failure

Coping with kidney failure is both challenging for the patient and their family caregivers. Let this guide help you support your loved ones better to ensure their quality of life.

According to statistics, 8,000 Malaysians are diagnosed with kidney disease annually – an alarming figure that’s bound to increase. It’s estimated that over 106,000 patients will be diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) by the year 2040. Currently, “fewer than two per 1,000 people” awaiting a kidney transplant “receive organs from deceased donors.”

Kidney failureisn’t reversible, but it’s still possible to slow down its progression. With adequate home and follow-up care, you’ll be able to significantly delay the onset of severe kidney failure and still be able to live a long, fruitful life with little changes to your overall quality of life.

Changes Caused by Kidney Failure

Kidney disease causes many changes to the body, most of which depend on the stage of kidney failure. Stages are determined by your estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). eGFR is used to gauge the extent of your kidneys’ ability to filter toxins or waste from your blood. The lower your eGFR, the more likely your kidney functions are impaired.

At stage I, your kidneys are still able to function normally, but there may be early signs doctors can detect, such as protein in your urine. The same goes for stage II, but there may also be signs of physical damage on top of other signs and symptoms that may be spotted. In some cases, no symptoms may present themselves at all.

At stage III, your kidneys may have difficulty filtering out waste and toxins from the bloodstream. These can eventually build up and cause a host of health complications, such as high blood pressure. If detected early, many persons with stage III kidney damage don’t move on to the next stages.

Stages IV and V (chronic kidney disease) are the more severe cases where kidney functions have significantly diminished or, in the case of stage V, have failed completely. Waste has built up substantially in the body, causing even more health problems and can potentially lead to death.

Warning signs that you should take note of include:

  • Extreme fatigue
  • Nausea, vomiting
  • Cognitive difficulties (i.e., confusion)
  • Frequent urination
  • Dry or itchy skin
  • Swelling around the ankles, hands, face
  • Insomnia
  • Loss of appetite

How You Can Support Someone with Kidney Failure

Whichever stage someone may be at, it’s essential to help them live a healthy life by making a few changes to their lifestyle and keeping an eye on the state of their kidneys with the help of medical professionals. It’s also important to take care of not just their physical well-being, but also their mental and emotional state. Compassion, patience and empathy are keys to helping them cope with their condition and be able to enjoy a fruitful life.

Don’t Miss Dialysis Sessions

Dialysis is an important component in helping someone with kidney failure. Dialysis is a process that helps the body remove excess waste and toxins accumulated in the body by diverting blood to a machine that filters out these harmful components from your bloodstream. There are three different types of dialysis.

Haemodialysisis the most common type of dialysis, where a tube is attached to a needle in your arm. The tube is connected to a machine that helps to filter your blood before directing back into the arm through another tube. You can either perform dialysis at a hospital or a dialysis centre (at least three times a week, with each session lasting four hours), or from the comforts of home. Some studies found that home dialysis is done “5-7 times a week” can dramatically improve health outcomes in the long term, including “longer life and better survival.”

Next, there’speritoneal dialysis, where the inside lining of your abdomen (called the peritoneum) will serve as the filter instead of relying on a machine. It’s the tiny blood vessels inside this abdominal lining that filters blood with the help of a dialysis solution made of water, salt and various additives.

Peritoneal dialysis can be performed in one of two methods.

  • Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD): This procedure takes place while you sleep. A machine called a cycler will transfer the dialysis solution in and out of your peritoneum three to five times during the night. Once you wake up in the morning, you’ll have a fresh solution in your belly; you can leave it be for the entire day or complete one “exchange” in the middle of the afternoon without the cycler.
  • Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD): This is a continuous and machine-free process that you can do by hand at any time. You’ll transfer about “two quarts” of the solution into your belly and then drain it once it filters out the wastes in your bloodstream. Every exchange will only take 30 to 40 minutes to complete; the solution will remain inside for between four to six hours, sometimes longer. You need to change the solution “at least four times a day” while sleeping with the solution at night.

Whichever method your loved one goes with, dialysis is a critical step to ensuring that the body is cleared of any waste or toxins that might accumulate over time. It’s possible to improve your loved one’s life expectancy through dialysis, with some people enjoying 10 to 20 more years of life, if not more. Your outlook does still depend on your current condition; if you receive a kidney transplant, you’ll be able to stop dialysis once your new kidney functions properly. Everything about the dialysis process will be explained to you in detail by your doctor.

If you’ll be helping your loved one with their dialysis, your doctor will also help teach you everything you need to know to do it properly. There are some risks associated with dialysis, such as skin infections when bacteria get to the areas around the tube used for dialysis. There may be some discomfort, and in some cases, your loved one might feel feverish, bloated, or even have some mild nausea. Consult your doctor immediately if they might experience any side effects or complications.

Regular Hospital Checkups

On that note, it’s always a good idea to follow up with your doctor on the condition of your loved one’s kidneys. Usually, the doctor will set an appointment schedule depending on your current stage of kidney failure. This will ensure they can check up on your overall health and determine if the treatment plan is working as it should. In between appointments, you can always consult them if your loved one might experience any side effects or have any possible symptoms that your condition is changing.

Some people might be afraid of checkups because anything might be possible. The fear is understandable, but rest assured that your doctor will do everything they can to help you manage your condition and mitigate its effects on you. If it helps, you could always prepare a list of questions you might want to ask them on your next visit. Be sure to speak with them at length if some changes to your treatment and management may be needed.

Medication and Supplements

The doctor will prescribe medications to help with managing symptoms of kidney failure. The type of medications will depend on your loved one’s condition; if they havehigh blood pressure, they may be prescribed drugs to lower blood pressure. Diuretics may be prescribed to help remove excess salt and fluids from your body if your loved one has difficulty doing so.

Make sure your loved one takes their medication as indicated. Don’t change the dosage without prior approval from the doctor. If your loved one experiences any side effects from their prescriptions, speak to your doctor about it as soon as possible. If your loved one is prescribed steroids for long-term use, it’s possible that the medication can suppress theirimmune system, making them more susceptible to falling ill. Be sure to take extra precautions in such a scenario.

Somesupplementsmay be beneficial in providing additional nutrients for your body. Before buying any, make sure you consult the doctor beforehand. Not all supplements are made for everyone; some may contain substances that could possibly cause side effects in your loved one or interfere with their medications.

Home Monitoring

Once your loved one is discharged, you may want to discuss acare plan for your loved one. This will be useful in ensuring your loved one’s condition and quality of life are carefully managed and goes at a pace they’re comfortable with. You and your loved one will be able to decide on what’s best for their follow-up, and it may also mean choosing to go with dialysis or going with other alternative methods of follow-up care.

Dialysis may not necessarily help improve health outcomes in some people with kidney failure. This may be especially true for those who are frail and/or have other health complications. You and your loved one might need time to think things through before coming to a decision.

You’ll need to keep a close eye on your loved one’s overall condition. If anything seems off, be sure to contact the doctor immediately. If they might need assistance in getting around, consider getting mobility assistance tools, such as a wheelchair, to help them get around. Help them as much as you can, but try to make a point of maintaining their independence as much as possible unless they absolutely can’t do that.

There are other aspects you’ll also need to consider. For example, you might need to frequently check your loved one’s blood pressure and keep it below 140/90 mmHg, or a level set by the doctor. At the very least, you’ll be able to ensure that your loved one’s condition remains unchanged, or changes at a much slower pace.

Help to Get Things Done

While those with early-stage kidney failure are still able to do most things on their own, an extra helping hand is always welcome. You could take turns with other family members to complete different tasks, be it cleaning the house, cooking, and so forth. If your loved one insists on helping, make sure to respect their decision – but at the same time, ensure that they don’t push themselves too hard.

Kidney failure can cause unprecedented changes that could come up at any time. Some have shared that they’ve had good days and bad days: pain that flares up and doesn’t go away; lasting lethargy that keeps your loved one in bed, and more. If your loved one lives on their own, you could consider moving in with them to help them out with activities of daily living and to provide them with some much-needed companionship.

Dietary Changes and Meal Prep

Your loved one will need to be mindful of what they eat to preserve their health. Consider speaking to a dietitian to help get their advice on how you can modify your loved one’s dietary plan. It will help to maintain ideal blood sugar levels to prevent further kidney damage. An ideal diet would have plenty of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins, and less salt, sugar, and foods with highly refined carbs (such as soft drinks and sweet cookies).

Even the type of dialysis your loved one goes for can influence the overall diet plan. Home dialysis, be it haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, can give you some freedom to plan a balanced diet since sessions are more frequent than haemodialysis at hospitals and dialysis centres. However, that doesn’t mean you can deviate from pre-planned dietary requirements. Always get the dietitian’s opinion beforehand.

On top of the salt, sugar and refined carbs, you’ll also need to reduce the intake of protein, potassium and phosphorus, as too much of these nutrients can be harmful to your loved one’s kidneys. The dietitian can help you with adjusting the right levels for these nutrients.

Thanks to the Internet, you’ll be able to find anabundanceofhealthyrecipesthat aregoodfor yourloved one. You’ll get to try out various healthy meals and make use of alternatives to sugar and salt to make these delicious recipes that you and your loved one can enjoy together. Cooking at home also has the benefit of reducing your loved one’s salt/sugar intake, too, since you get to control the number of ingredients used.

Be sure that your loved one also cuts down on alcohol consumption and stopssmokingentirely. Doing these can greatly improve their health outcomes and increase their life expectancy.

Light Physical Activity

Physical activity is always encouraged whether you’re in the pink of health or otherwise. It can help improve your loved one’s mood and energy levels, as well as strengthen their bones and muscles and even reduce the risk of other health complications like heart disease. If your loved one isn’t used to doing physical activity, start small first. Over time, you can increase the amount of exercise they can do. Pacing it to their physical level will pay dividends as they become used to it.

You might also need to adjust their routine as their condition changes. Some with severe or complete kidney failure may have a lot less energy than they used to. Find alternatives to the physical activity they can do. Instead of moving around, your loved one can do simple stretching exercises while seated.

Emotional and Mental Support

Your loved one might go through a whole spectrum of emotions as they deal with the reality of their condition. It can leave them feeling helpless, lost and perhaps depressed as they struggle to accept what’s happened to them. The best way you can help them is to be there for them at all times.

You’ll need to be patient and understanding with your loved one as they try to cope with how their life has changed. Try to speak to them about it and listen to them; being an attentive shoulder can do plenty of good for theirmentaland emotional well-being. You won’t need to ask them a lot of questions or respond with answers; sometimes, it’s just good to let them vent and express themselves, sharing how they really feel about their condition and how they’re coping or struggling with it.

Allowing them to share how they feel will give them some respite instead of bottling it up. It can also help to forge a stronger bond between yourself and your loved one. They may feel great relief knowing that there’s someone by their side to help them see this journey through.

If need be, you might want to consider asking your loved one if they might feel more at ease seeing a professional counsellor to help them out. It won’t be an easy topic to broach, but be sure to empathize with them and see things from their perspective. If it might be of help, it’s worth a try. But be sure not to force the subject upon them. Let them decide for themselves. Provide them with as much support as you can give them.

Become a Donor

A kidney transplant is the most effective way to treat your loved one’s condition and greatly improve their overall quality of life. It’s a surgical procedure to transfer a healthy kidney (yours or from another living/deceased donor) to replace your loved one’s damaged kidney. In more severe cases, both kidneys may need to be replaced.

Kidney transplants are not a straightforward process; your loved one can’t simply agree to it and have the procedure done almost immediately. They’ll first need to undergo an extensive medical examination; the doctor will examine their general state of health, lifestyle habits, whether they have any critical health conditions (such as cancer), and many other factors. A number of tests may also be conducted, such as imaging (MRI) scans or psychological evaluations. If your loved one is eligible, they’ll be put on a waiting list for when a donor becomes available.

You may be eligible to be a kidney donor but that also hinges on a variety of factors, especially concerning your health. You might be subject to a similar type of evaluation as your loved one. You can’t be considered a donor if you meet any of these criteria:

  • Advanced age
  • Have any health complications
  • Have cancer or are a cancer survivor
  • Have a history of alcohol/drug abuse
  • Have a mental health condition
  • Have any other factor that could adversely affect the surgical procedure, cause organ rejection, or cause some other complication

If you’re eligible to be a donor, your kidney may either be transplanted for your loved one if the two of you are compatible, or your kidney may be donated to someone else. In some cases, called paired donations, your kidney will go to another recipient, while another donor may donate theirs to your loved one.

Kidney transplants aren’t a cure for kidney disease/failure. There are also risks associated with the surgical procedure of transplantation or the use of anti-rejection drugs to prevent organ rejection from happening. Be sure to go over these aspects and any questions you might have before agreeing to a kidney transplant.

Successful kidney transplants have helped many people with kidney failure to live longer, fruitful lives. Donors who have donated their kidneys can also resume their usual lifestyle activities even with one healthy kidney.

How Can Help Take Care of Your Loved One

Do you needshort-term careto look after your loved ones with kidney disease while you’re at work? Or do you needescort servicesto send them for dialysis and hospital checkups?If you feel that having a helping hand might be needed, consider contacting to help you out.We can help! Our penjaga are trained to provide extensive caregiving depending on your needs. Whether it’s helping out at home with the chores, assisting you with medical needs, or keeping them company to and from the hospital, our penjaga have you covered while you take a break.

We offer flexible care plans that can be tailored to meet your needs. Contact our Care Advisory team at 016 299 2188 or fill in the form below for afree consultationtoday!

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