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    1. About Kidney Disease
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease
      3. Kidney Disease Stages
      4. How Kidneys Work
      5. What to Expect
      6. Managing Kidney Disease
      7. Take Our Free Class – KidneyCare:365
    2. Treatments
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. What Is Dialysis
      3. In-Center Hemodialysis
      4. Benefits of Home Dialysis
      5. At-Home Peritoneal Dialysis
      6. At-Home Hemodialysis
      7. Types of dialysis access
      8. Transplant
      9. Supportive Care
      10. Making a Plan
    3. Life on Dialysis
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Emotional Health
      3. Staying Engaged
      4. Staying Healthy
      5. Traveling
      6. Tips for Loved Ones
      7. My Fresenius Kidney Care Portal
    4. Eating Well
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. Managing Your Diet
      3. Fluid Management On Dialysis
      4. Dialysis Diet Planning
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    Find a Dialysis Center

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      1. About Kidney Disease Open About Kidney Disease menu
        1. Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease
          1. Symptoms
          2. Risk Factors
          3. Causes
          4. Diagnosis and Testing
          5. GFR Calculator
        2. Kidney Disease Stages
          1. Stage 1
          2. Stage 2
          3. Stage 3
          4. Stage 4
          5. Stage 5
        3. How Kidneys Work
        4. What to Expect
        5. Managing Kidney Disease
          1. Kidney Diet Basics
          2. Your Care Team
          3. Diabetes
          4. High Blood Pressure
        6. Take Our Free Class – KidneyCare:365
      2. Treatments Open Treatments menu
        1. What Is Dialysis
        2. In-Center Hemodialysis
          1. In-Center Treatment Options
          2. What to Expect
          3. Hemodialysis Access
          4. Monitoring Your Lab Results
          5. Your Care Team
          6. How to Choose a Center
        3. Benefits of Home Dialysis
        4. At-Home Peritoneal Dialysis
          1. What to Expect
          2. Getting Prepared
          3. PD Access
          4. PD Training
          5. About Peritonitis
          6. PD Monitoring
          7. Your Care Team
        5. At-Home Hemodialysis
          1. What to Expect
          2. Getting Prepared
          3. HD Training
          4. HD Monitoring
          5. Your Care Team
        6. Types of dialysis access
        7. Transplant
          1. Kidney Donation
        8. Supportive Care
        9. Making a Plan
          1. Your Care Plan
          2. Dialysis Medications
          3. Managing the Cost of Dialysis
          4. Disaster Preparation
          5. End-of-Life Planning
      3. Life on Dialysis Open Life on Dialysis menu
        1. Emotional Health
          1. Managing Your Emotions
          2. Talking About Dialysis
          3. Intimacy
          4. Body Image and Dialysis
          5. Building Your Dialysis Support Network
        2. Staying Engaged
          1. Tips for Working While on Dialysis
          2. In-Center Activities
          3. Hobbies
        3. Staying Healthy
          1. Managing Your Time on Dialysis
          2. Dialysis & Exercise
          3. Weight Management
          4. Avoiding Infection
          5. Managing Multiple Conditions
          6. Fighting the Flu
        4. Traveling
        5. Tips for Loved Ones
          1. In-Center Hemodialysis
          2. At-Home Peritoneal Dialysis
          3. At-Home Hemodialysis
        6. My Fresenius Kidney Care Portal
      4. Eating Well Open Eating Well menu
        1. Managing Your Diet
          1. Eating Well with CKD
          2. Eating Well on Dialysis
          3. Salt and Kidney Disease
          4. Potassium and Kidney Disease
          5. Phosphorus and Kidney Disease
          6. Talking With Your Dietitian
        2. Fluid Management On Dialysis
        3. Dialysis Diet Planning
          1. Kidney-Friendly Shopping
          2. Eating Out
          3. Holiday Tips
          4. A Chef’s Advice
        4. Recipes
          1. Breakfasts
          2. Lunches
          3. Dinners
          4. Desserts
          5. Snacks & Beverages
        5. Cookbooks
      5. Thrive Central Open Thrive Central menu
        1. See All
        2. CKD
        3. Dialysis
        4. Wellness
        5. Diet & Nutrition
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      Tips for Loved Ones
      Tips for Loved Ones
      OVERVIEW In-Center Hemodialysis At-Home Peritoneal Dialysis At-Home Hemodialysis
      1. Home
      2. Life on Dialysis
      3. Tips for Loved Ones
      4. At-Home Hemodialysis

      Your Role in At-Home Hemodialysis Treatment

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      If the person you care for has chosen at-home hemodialysis, you’ll need to be there during the procedure unless your loved one has been trained to do home hemodialysis on his or her own. At-home hemodialysis can be done 3 to 6 times a week for 2 to 8 hours at a time. If you’re partnering to help with treatment, make sure you can handle the commitment.

      Book icon

      Knowledge is key

      In the beginning, the person you care for will need to make a lot of choices, and you may be asked to help with those choices. Start by taking advantage of the wealth of information on this site. Check out the section on Treatment Options and take a look at our Treatment Decision Guide. It’s also a great idea to go to a KidneyCare:365 class with your loved one(s) so you can learn how to live well with kidney disease and why planning ahead can lead to the best decisions.
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      If you’re a home hemodialysis care partner, you’ll train together with your loved one

      Over the course of 4 to 8 weeks, you’ll learn all aspects of performing a dialysis treatment with the home treatment team. The great news is that it will eventually become a regular routine you’ll find relatively easy to do. 

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      Get into the routine

      Whether the person you care for is doing at-home hemodialysis during the day or throughout the night, it helps to have a fairly routine schedule. And, make sure they stay on the machine for the entire treatment. Missing just a few minutes can make dialysis less effective and seriously impact your loved one’s health.
      Chef hat icon

      Find the right space

      At-home hemodialysis treatment requires a dry storage space for the dialysate as well as the machine. Along with the home treatment team, you and the person you care for should decide the best location for both storage and the treatment itself. And you’ll need to make sure there are enough supplies (about a week’s worth) available in case of an emergency. If the power goes out, you’ll need to make other plans.
      Staying active icon

      Eat well, be well

      One advantage of more frequent or nocturnal (nighttime) hemodialysis is that the person you care for may be able to eat more of what they like—within reason. Work with their renal dietitian to come up with a meal plan that’s as satisfying and tasty as it is kind to their kidneys. Get helpful tips on eating well.
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      Get outside

      Go for a walk outdoors with the person you care for as often as possible. It will be good for both of you. And try to encourage them to stick with their work and hobbies, even if they’re feeling down. Studies show that people on dialysis do better when they stay engaged with the world around them.
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      Keep track of their symptoms

      Flu-like symptoms, such as feeling tired or weak and having chills, are common for people on dialysis. You may notice they sleep more or are more forgetful. These symptoms are most often due to anemia—a shortage of red blood cells—and can be treated. Be sure to keep the nephrologist and treatment team informed about how the person you care for is doing.
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      Keep important information with you

      You want to be sure that you have your loved one’s medical information written down, including all medications and the names of their doctors. Keep it with you at all times so you can be prepared for an emergency—before there’s an actual emergency.
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      Give yourself a break

      As a care partner, it’s vital that you continue to take time to do some of the things you enjoy on your own. Finding healthy ways to relieve the stress, such as yoga or walking, can do a surprising amount of good for your energy and mood. As always, check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
      kidney care class

      TAKE A FREE CKD CLASS

      Learn about kidney function, nutrition, treatment options and to thrive with kidney disease.

      Learn more now


      Renal failure treatment

      SUPPORT THE DIALYSIS
      SCHEDULE

      Missing even a few minutes of dialysis a few times a month can severely impact the person you care for, including life expectancy. Helping your loved one stay on schedule and get full treatments can help your loved one live longer and feel better.

      YOU’VE GOT SUPPORT

      Your home treatment team is just a phone call away 24/7 and ready to help with whatever you need. 

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