ideas for ostomy support group speakers

[superauntie]

Hi! I just got back from the Olympia, WA Ostomy Support Group meeting tonight and we are having trouble thinking of different guest speakers and stuff that we could do at our meetings. This way, we are not having only medical suppliers and product reps come by every single time.
So far, we have thought that a dietician would be a good speaker, as well as a local gastroenterologist. Other than that, we are stumped.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what we can do to make our support group more exciting? We are starting to get more and more people come to our meetings, so we want to have new stuff going on.

Jessie

[907CPRGuy]

How about someone involved in health insurance? Maybe an HR person to cover FMLA and other issues that we deal with? That's all I can think of right now, I'm sure others will be along shortly with more ideas. Hope this helps.

Ray

[LDFAN]

WE are fortunate to have 2 WOCNs involved with our support group. Most times both are present. What is nice about that is the fact during the Q&A period we have "professionals" there to answer the questions. If your group can somehow get a WOCN involved that would be very helpful.

The person who chairs our meetings has a website and sends out an agenda of what will be discussed at the upcoming meeting. Within the website is also various tabs to direct your attention to various links to helpful websites which UOAA is the top of the list.

A suggestion for a future meeting is to break off into groups for ileostomies, colostomies and urostomies to then be able to address specific questions and topics directly related to the type of surgery people have had since a lot of what is discussed sometimes does not pertain to them per se.

Also if various people have books...set up a lending type service....the owner of the book just needs to keep a note as to who borrows the book and their tel #

Since a lot of people do not use the internet or avail themselves of all the details of info contained here each month a specific area/topic can be discussed and delved into. I have found a few articles here and there that I have run off and gotten up and read it to the group.

My husband (who has a permanent ileostomy) has a "show and tell" and has brought some items to help other ostomates who are new and confused or overwhelmed with the process.

[Jimbob]

Hello Pretty Kitty;

If you have not had visitor training in a while a lesson guide is available in both CD and Text Form.

Here are some other ideas.

a) Suggested programs and presenters
i) Presentations by Doctors/Surgeons
(1) Possible post-op surgical complications ... hernias, adhesions, prolapses, stoma
revisions
(2) Possible problems with your urostomy
(3) Continent diversion options, updates and surgical advances
(4) Issues requiring immediate medical contact
(5) Causes of blockages and how to treat them
(6) To irrigate or not to irrigate ... is “Irrigation” an alternative for you
(7) Ostomy 101 – Differences between Colostomy, Urostomy, Ileostomy, J-pouch
(8) Temporary ostomies and takedown/reversal/surgical advances
(9) Water, your best friend
(10) Stones ... Who gets them and prevention
(11) Male urinary and prostate issues
(12) How cancer treatments effect your ostomy
(13) Probiotics: What? How? When?
(14) Short Bowel Syndrome and dehydration
(15) Living with Crohn’s Disease
(16) All about “Scans”
(17) Treatment of male post-surgical complications
ii) Presentations by WOC Nurses
(1) Stoma and peristomal complications to report to your WOC Nurse
(2) Peristomal skin care ... rashes, irritants, funguses and their treatment
(3) Care considerations for senior stomas
(4) Proper pouching ... how to select your appliance
(5) The role of your spouse, partner or care provider in your post-op rehabilitation
(6) To paste or not to paste ... paste, rings, strips and barriers
(7) Intimacy and sex
iii) Presentations by Miscellaneous presenters
(1) Have bag, will travel – open forum of ostomates
(2) Keeping your gut happy: Let’s talk nutrition (Dietitian)
(3) How drugs react in your new plumbing (Pharmacist)
(4) Sports and fitness with an ostomy or continent diversion (Physical Fitness
Trainer)
(5) As an ostomate, knowing your rights and self advocacy
(6) Insurance and other reimbursement issues
(7) Home health care services (Marketing Manager, Home Health Care Agency)
(8) Oh those stiff joints and creaky bones ... Arthritis! (Arthritis Specialist)
(9) The psychological aspects of an ostomy ... both pre and post-op (Psychologist)
(10) I’m still me ... relationships ... who to tell about your ostomy and when
(11) You’re getting older ... are you legally ready (powers of attorney, medical
powers of attorney, wills, etc.)? (Eldercare Lawyer)
(12) Holiday or ASG Anniversary Dinners
(13) Picnics
(14) Representatives of ostomy product manufacturers and distributors

Good Luck and good training

Jimbob

[CrohnieCJ]

I got this idea from another ostomy support page, but it is my favorite.

It told of a WOCN nurse discussing the use of various "Dollar Store" items which can be most helpful in the life of an ostomate.

For example:

The little round make-up pads to hold over the stoma during change time.
Small spray water bottle to clean the end of the pouch when emptying and to carry in ones kit for a water source in a bathroom stall.
Doggie poop bags for discarding used pouches and supplies after a change.
Make-up brushes to wipe off excess Stoma Powder for those who use powder.
Mirrors and small flashlights to check stoma.
Cheap toilet paper for use with emptying and changing.
Small carry-all to hold supplies all in one place.
Pen-sized hand sanitizers

There are many more, but you get the idea. I would also think tying "Tips for Ostomates" into this presentation would be beneficial. Like using "tic tacs" for odor control, using an old credit card or baby spoon to scrape of barrier seal residue, putting one side of a doggie bag in in the front of ones underwear to catch "drips" when changing the pouch, using a hairdryer when applying an appliance, etc.

The little "tips" I have read about from other ostomates have been the most helpful to me since becoming an ostomate.

[superauntie]

Thank you so very much for all the helpful advice!!! I will definetly tell Lynda about all of this.

Jessie

[squid56]

When I used to run the meetings of a large support group ,once a year we would break up into smaller groups by type of ostomy- all the urostomates, together , ileostomates, etc. This way we could exchange ideas and experiences that we all had in common.

[superauntie]

When I used to run the meetings of a large support group ,once a year we would break up into smaller groups by type of ostomy- all the urostomates, together , ileostomates, etc. This way we could exchange ideas and experiences that we all had in common.

The only problem we have is we only have 1 urostomate, 2 colosomates, and the rest have ileostomies. So, I don't think that will work with us.

[squid56]

Oh well, the group I run now only has 3 folks- me and tow others, I have a urostomy and the other two have colostomies.

[trackrunner123]

I could speak, perhaps on the differences of a young persons perspective of having an ostomy (in Sammamish, WA)