title: Need of a partner on home peritoneal dialysis (HPD): incidence and an alternative choice.
abstract: Among 63 patients (pts) on HPD 26 (41.7%) had need of a partner (PN) in conducting dialysis. In most cases the role of a partner is performed by the consort (26.9%) or by a son or daughter (19.3%). Forty-four percent of all partners worked in the home. The PN is significantly higher (P = 0.0001) in pts aged 65 or more. The most frequent cause of PN (38.6%) was a memory and learning deficiency (MLD) of the exact sequence of dialysis maneuvers, in particular in elderly pts. The Talking Cricket (TC), a tape recorder device with a series of automated and safety features, conceived and settled in our center to guide the patient through the dialysis procedures at home, represents a valid alternative choice to the partner in pts with MLD. Seven pts with MLD, aged between 69 and 80 years, used the TC at home with a Y-set with Amuchina. During a follow-up of 84.4 months we observed 3 peritonitis episodes, 4 accidental infusions of disinfectant in to the peritoneal cavity; and 3 pts discontinued the use of the TC. The TC has been used in the hospital to train 5 pts undergoing CAPD: standardization and uniformity of teaching facilitates both learning by the patients and teaching by the nurses.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Nefrologia de Dialisi, Ospedale, S. Lazzaro, Alba, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Viglino
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mariano
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Cavalli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006437:Hemodialysis, Home / Q000009:adverse effects; D006701:Home Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D012648:Self Care; D013637:Tape Recording