What is the prevalence of kidney disease in Colorado Springs?
End-stage renal disease is increasingly common throughout the U. S. according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), leading to an increased demand for dialysis clinics in Colorado Springs even if Colorado’s numbers aren’t as high as the nation’s as a whole. Luckily, there are plenty of great options to choose from in the city and surrounding areas.
Finding the right Colorado Springs dialysis center for your loved one could help them feel energized and better able to meet up with friends or celebrate important milestones with family members, giving them a substantially higher quality of life than they would have otherwise. Dialysis can be tough on seniors but it doesn’t have to be the worst thing ever.
Are there different types of dialysis available in Colorado Springs?
Contrary to popular belief, there is more than one type of dialysis. The kind that most people immediately think of is called hemodialysis and generally takes place at a Colorado Springs dialysis center. The other kind is called peritoneal dialysis and uses a patient’s stomach lining as a natural blood filter, allowing for more convenient in-home treatments. The University of California San Francisco provides more information on both types below:
Main types of kidney dialysis:
- Hemodialysis
- 90% of all dialysis services
- Pumping patient’s own blood through an external circuit for filtration before it is returned to the body
- Typically three sessions per week for 3-5 hours per session at a medical facility
- Peritoneal Dialysis
- A permanent tube is placed in the abdomen
- Waste is exchanged from the blood and flushed out regularly through the tube
- Doesn’t require regular trips to a medical facility but still requires regular treatment at home
Both types of dialysis are about equally effective, so your loved one should choose whichever they find most appealing. Peritoneal dialysis saves patients a trip to a healthcare facility, often giving them more energy to meet up with friends and generally enjoy life on treatment days. However, home dialysis is still a regular occurrence that will require lifestyle changes.
How do I find the best dialysis clinics in Colorado Springs?
Researching dialysis clinics in Pueblo begins by considering your senior’s specific situation. If they will be heading to a dialysis center to receive treatments, you’ll want to find one that’s close to their home to minimize the strain of travel. Likewise, you’ll want to figure out how they will get there 3-5 times a week, especially since asking a driver to wait up to four hours to drive them home when they’re finished isn’t always feasible. We also recommend touring potential dialysis facilities in Colorado Springs with your loved one to see for yourself what standard of care they provide. Cleanliness and how the staff treats patients are especially important things to look for.
If your loved one is looking into home dialysis care, you’ll want to ask what types of support will be available to them and when they can get it. Our comprehensive guide to finding dialysis clinics includes more tips and tricks to give your older adult the best experience possible, so please take notes as you read it.
Dialysis centers in Colorado Springs
Learning that your loved one needs dialysis can be tough to take, but it is manageable with the right support. Seasons makes it easy to start researching dialysis facilities in the Colorado Springs area, so please use our resources to find your senior the care they need to make the most of their golden years.
