Exercise programme during dialysis?

[karenp]

I work on a dialysis unit in southern Sweden and wondered if anyone has an exercise programme for their patients to follow during their treatment. Many of our patients are pacified and need to be aktivated. We thought that maybe by stimulating them here they might continue with some form of exercise at home. Please help us with tips or ideas.

[Meegan]

Hello karenp,

The unit where I work in No. Calif. has an exercise program involving stationary bikes for patient use during treatments. At the onset of the program, staff was a part of it also, with teams of staff and patients together committing to various out-of-clinic physical activities that would accumulate in "team points". There were about 4 teams, results were posted, and it got a little competitive. Walking was the main activity for patients. That seems to have been a good initial motivator for beginning some exercise. Now, a number of patients use the bike in the unit, the average time is about 20 minutes.Everyone interested was medically evaluated before beginning and okayed from a cardiac standpoint. All patients are monitored throughout and nursing assessments determine initiation or continuance of each bicycle use. There is more to this info. I saw your message earlier, wrote down a name, ph. #, and address for details and then left it in my pocket at work. I'll send that to you as soon as I get it. Hope this helps. Good luck!