St. Benedict’s Senior Community is first in Minnesota to offer onsite dialysis
Before dialysis was offered at St. Benedict Senior
Community (SBSC), he traveled across town for
dialysis three times a week. Jimmy now receives
dialysis five days a week at SBSC.
CentraCare Kidney Program partnered with St. Benedict’s Senior Community (SBSC) to provide onsite, staff-assisted home hemodialysis to its nursing home residents. St. Ben's became the first nursing home in the Midwest to bring dialysis care closer to home.
Jimmy Schultz has been living at SBSC for almost three years and has been on dialysis for more than a year. Before dialysis was offered at SBSC, he traveled across town to the CentraCare Kidney Dialysis Unit (KDU) three times a week.
The routine was getting old for Jimmy. “I had to schedule transportation, pay for it out of pocket, wait around to be picked up and then spend four and a half hours in dialysis,” he explained. “It took up my entire day.”
Jimmy also felt tired and sick after dialysis at KDU. By the time he started feeling better, it was time to return for his next appointment.
Jimmy now receives dialysis five days a week at SBSC and feels so much better. He enjoys participating in activities at SBSC such as going to bingo and attending Mass. He also enjoys putting together jigsaw puzzles and taking care of the community cat, Parker, with his wife, Joanne.
Jodi Friedrichs, RN, core charge nurse, is excited about the benefits onsite dialysis has for patients. “Offering more frequent dialysis sessions helps keep the toxins and fluid build up to a minimum which may reduce or eliminate many of the side effects our patients experience,” she explained. “Patients’ diets are less restricted and they can live more comfortable lives.”
Lorre McDermott (center) now benefits from the
increased convenience of dialysis services at SBSC
and appreciates having the same staff assisting her
with dialysis at the same place where she lives.
Lorre McDermott, another SBSC resident dialysis patient, can’t say enough about her positive experience at SBSC. Dialysis no longer holds her back from socializing or participating in activities and it is so convenient. “I just come downstairs and get in my chair,” she stated. “I love this place and the staff!”
Both Jimmy and Lorre appreciate having the same staff who care for them every day. “They know me and what works best for me,” Jimmy said. “Since starting dialysis at SBSC, I have a whole different outlook on dialysis!”
To learn more about St. Benedict’s Senior Community, call 320-654-2355.
For more information about dialysis, call 855-361-5740.
