The experience of initiating and being on dialysis among the elderly [abstract]

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a disease that requires extreme treatment measures to ensure survival for the patients it afflicts. These measures include dialysis and/or kidney transplantation. Since 1973, the federal government has paid for treatment of chronic kidney disease, and in 1973 only 341,000 people were receiving treatment. However, it is estimated that by 2030 the number of people receiving treatment for CKD will be 2 million. People over 80 years of age are the fastest-growing population of patients with CKD Stage 5 who are initiating dialysis currently. Despite this rapid growth in the prevalence of CKD, little is known about how dialysis affects patients psychosocially.