Life Options Free Materials
Life Options has made our free print materials available here. You may download PDFs of all of our booklets, newsletters, and fact sheets. We are no longer shipping free materials. Check out our other free materials by clicking through the "Additional Free Materials" links in the right column.
Want to use or translate our materials? Read our licensing agreement.
Booklets
Employment: A Kidney Patient's Guide to Working and Paying for Treatment
This 108-page updated primer now has information for people with kidney disease and people on dialysis or with transplants. Topics include employment and vocational rehabilitation; Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance; disability programs, including SSDI and SSI; and federal legislation affecting kidney patients. The booklet also includes a glossary of terms and a list of resources.
Encouragement: Bridging the Barriers (For Patients and Their Families)
This 44-page booklet defines renal rehabilitation in terms that patients and families can understand. Several patient profiles highlight the reality of rehabilitation. The booklet also includes answers to common questions about kidney disease, tips for traveling, and a brief section on the role of family members.
Exercise: A Guide for People on Dialysis
This 44-page booklet provides step-by-step instructions for starting and maintaining a sensible exercise program. Written by exercise physiologist and nationally-recognized expert Patricia Painter, PhD, this program focuses on building strength, endurance, and flexibility -- three key areas for dialysis patients who want to stay active. Profiles and quotes from dialysis patients who enjoy the benefits of regular exercise are featured.
Evaluation: Unit Self-Assessment Manual for Renal Rehabilitation
Assessment is the logical first step for any dialysis unit interested in starting or improving renal rehabilitation programming. This 38-page manual is the complete guide to the use and interpretation of the Life Options Unit Self-Assessment Tool for Renal Rehabilitation (USAT). The manual covers a range of important topics, including the rationale for unit self-assessment, a description of the USAT criteria, an explanation of scoring, suggested action steps based on scores, and tips for use of the USAT.
Building Quality of Life: A Practical Guide to Renal Rehabilitation
Everything dialysis professionals need to know about planning and implementing a renal rehabilitation program is here in this easy-to-use manual. Whether a clinic is starting rehabilitation on a shoestring or building on an existing initiative, the Practical Guide is a valuable resource. The guide includes step-by-step processes for rehabilitation programming, from assembling a team to developing benchmarks to measure results. The guide also includes the Unit Self-Assessment Tool for Renal Rehabilitation (USAT), which measures effectiveness of existing programming.
Exercise for the Dialysis Patient: A Guide for the Nephrologist
Dialysis patients who are physically active have improved outcomes and better quality of life. The clinical rationale for exercise as well as a research-based assessment of the risks and benefits of exercise are neatly summarized in this guide. Other topics include how to screen patients for exercise participation, pros and cons of exercise testing, and recommendations for safe exercise interventions. From the foreword by cardiopulmonary rehabilitation specialist Geoffrey Moore, MD, to the final references, this physician guide challenges the assumption that progressive physical degeneration is unavoidable for dialysis patients.
Exercise for the Dialysis Patient: A Prescribing Guide
Safety concerns may cause some dialysis professionals to avoid recommending exercise to their patients. This brief booklet addresses those concerns—and lays them to rest! Sections on prescribing exercise, determining appropriate intensity levels, and identifying signs/symptoms that merit concern are all covered. In addition, there is a special section on prescribing exercise for dialysis patients with comorbid conditions.
Want to use or translate our materials? Read our licensing agreement.
Additional Free Materials
- Kidney School™
- Booklets
- Podcasts
- Newsletters
- Dialysis Answers
- Fact Sheets
- Vascular Access
- Vaccinations
We are no longer able to ship free materials. All of our available resources are free downloads from this site.