Home Hemodialysis Overview
Finding a treatment that fits your lifestyle is essential to maintaining your quality of life. Performing hemodialysis at home helps many people do just that. Home hemodialysis (HHD) gives you the freedom to do treatments outside of the dialysis center and:
- Perform dialysis in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
- Choose flexible treatment times around your work and family schedule.
- Have a care partner assist you with treatments.
Will I be trained to do hemodialysis at home?
In order to perform HHD, you’ll need to be trained by a home dialysis training nurse. Training typically takes three to five weeks to complete. You’ll learn how to operate the equipment, handle supplies, insert needles, record medical information and disconnect from the machine.
A care partner — your spouse, child, sibling, friend or neighbor — will be trained as well so that he or she can assist you during your HHD treatments. With the help of your home training nurse, both you and your care partner can build confidence by the time you begin dialyzing from home.
What if I still need help after HHD training?
Although you will perform hemodialysis at home, you are never alone. You will be in contact with your kidney care team, and go in to the dialysis center once a month or so to review your lab results and nutrition report.