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Patient & Family Services
Our Chapter offers a full range of services to guide and assist you as you learn more about ALS. Here you will find pertinent information for patients, caregivers, family members, friends and healthcare workers. Our staff is always happy to answer any questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call or e-mail us for more information click here.
2009 PROGRAMS and SERVICES
Partnership for Prescription Assistance
Home Visits
Patient Services coordinators are available to our PALS and families for home visit appointments. Visits are arranged at initial contact with our office, and periodically throughout the relationship with the ALS Association. Home visits are a great opportunity for our Patient Services Coordinators to assess needs and supports, and offer assistance with resources.
Resource Guide
The Resource Guide is designed to provide useful information about ALS for patients and families, as well as information about vendors and other resources dedicated to helping people with ALS. The guide is available as a hard copy and will be offered online soon.
Monthly Patient Newsletter
This publication is sent to all of our patients statewide each month, via mail or email. The newsletter includes information about research, programs, and facts for families living with ALS, as well as announcements from the Tennessee Chapter of the ALS Association. We send this monthly newsletter in addition to our statewide quarterly newsletter.
Equipment Program and Loan Closet
Limited financial assistance is available to our patients for the purchase of needed medical equipment. We also maintain a loan closet, with an inventory equipment that is commonly used by ALS patients. If our Loan Closet contains the item needed by the patient, we will send the loaner item before purchasing a new one.
Communication Program
The ALS Association, Tennessee Chapter has working relationships with Speech Pathologists across the state who are available to assist with ongoing adjustments to communication devices. These professionals can also make recommendations for assistive devices to enhance communication. We also maintain a limited collection of assistive communication devices in our Loan Closet.
Respite Care
The Respite Care program is designed to provide relief from the duties of caregiving for the patient's primary caregiver. The ALS Association provides resources for a few hours of respite care each month for qualifying PALS and families.
Patient Symposium
Annual conferences are held in Nashville, Memphis, and Tri-Cities. These conferences gather experts in ALS care to educate patients and their families.
Holiday Support Program
Dealing with ALS can be an emotionally and financially draining experience for a family. The ALS Association gathers support from individuals and groups in the community to “adopt” the families that participate in this program, providing holiday gifts and cheer.
Research
Our chapter supports the ALS Association’s research enterprise, the largest effort in scope and diversity of projects ever undertaken to unlock the mysteries of ALS. During the last decade, ALSA has invested $25 million in research— more research funding than any other ALS organization. We collect data from our PALS in an effort to create a Chapter Registry.
Advocacy
Our chapter supports the advocacy and public policy activities conducted by the ALS Association from its office in Washington, DC. We help promote local awareness and organize letter-writing campaigns to show support for legislation that will ultimately help ALS patients.
Counseling Services
Professional counseling services are available in person and by telephone/ referral, depending on location, to all of our PALS. Counseling can be an important tool for families and individuals dealing with grief and loss, coping strategies, and other life stressors. Our staff includes a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience in grief and end-of-life counseling.
The ALS Association, Tennessee Chapter, strives to provide relevant and useful services to all patients and families living with ALS in Tennessee and surrounding areas.
We work hard to develop and maintain programs to fill patient needs that aren’t always met by medical insurance coverage or traditional medical care.
Through our year-round fundraising efforts, we continue to gather support for our programs and ultimately, support for our patients.
For more information about our programs and services, please contact us.
West Tennessee:
Beth Bumgardner
Patient Services Coordinator
(901) 854-8661
beth.bumgardner@alstn.org
Middle Tennessee:
Patty Lane
Patient Services Manager
(615) 279-5551 or toll free 1-877-216-5551
patty.lane@alstn.org
East Tennessee:
Jane Luethke
Patient Services Coordinator
(423) 224-2357
Jane.Luethke@alstn.org
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The ALS Association Tennessee Chapter
