Solo Home Haemodialysis
The Sydney Dialysis Centre (SDC) supports 150 patients who dialyze in the home environment. Since its inception in 1970, SDC has been assisting patients to modify their dialysis regime according to individual needs. It has always been the philosophy at SDC that home dialysis should be available to all, and not limited by the absence of a fulltime partner. In 2003-2004 a postal survey was sent to all SDC patients who had changed their dialysis regime in order to ascertain the effect of this change on their lifestyle. The survey comprised: demographic data; questions requiring a yes/no response; and open ended questions. This presentation will discuss the results of the survey with regard to patients who reported dialyzing at home without the presence of a partner - for all sessions, some sessions or part of a session. The patients’ experiences will be presented in relation to their reasons for dialyzing solo along with the associated risks and benefits. While not all patients are suitable for solo dialysis, the results show that it is a safe option for patients who are clinically stable, confident and strongly motivated towards home dialysis. These people would otherwise be required to dialyse in a satellite or hospital setting.