Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Programs: Patient services - provide services to approximately 500 individuals diagnosed with als each year in indiana. Support services and programs are free of charge. Care service coordinators help families navigate through the healthcare system and strive to increase functional independence and improve quality of life for patient and family members. Assess patient/family needs, devise individual care plans that include home visits, counseling, end of life care planning, and grief counseling. Community partnerships with als multidisciplinary treatment centers at iu neuroscience center and va medical center and work collaboratively with durable medical equipment providers, seating/mobility providers, hospice, and homecare providers to ensure the best possible care.

education, awareness, and advocacy - providing community education and working to stimulate public awareness through advocacy activities on state and national level. Inservice education sessions to assist healthcare workers in the treatment of als patients. Sessions are one hour in length and are appropriate for the following audiences: registered nurses, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, dieticians, speech therapists, mental health workers, home health aides, certified nursing assistants, corporations, and volunteers.

research - the indiana chapter of the als association's efforts are focused toward a single vision for the future: a world free from als. Our chapter dedicates funds each year directed towards some of the most promising als research projects. These projects are all related to finding treatments and a cure. The als association is the only organization dedicated solely to the fight against als. The organization funds aggressive, cutting edge research using the newest techniques while fostering collaborative initiatives among government agencies, the private sector and scientists who are invested in global research.