Videos

Living With ALS©
Mobility, Activities of Daily Living, Home Adaptations

This first video, Functioning When Your Mobility is Affected, covers a range of mobility issues that occur with ALS. Our goal is to help you maximize your mobility, independence, safety and comfort. Health care professionals, persons with ALS and their families not only provide information in this video, but also demonstrate equipment and techniques that can help you maximize your function. Suggestions for activities of daily living such as eating, dressing and bathing are included along with examples of helpful home adaptations. The video runs approximately 30 minutes.

DVD and VHS copies of this video are available free of charge to patients and their families and health care provider.

Click here to watch this video online 

Living With ALS©
Adjusting to Swallowing Difficulties and Maintaining Good Nutrition

Support for this video has been provided by Goldberg and Solovy Foods - Martin Pine Memorial Nutrition Education Fund.

Most people take the acts of swallowing for granted. In this video we look at the impact of ALS on swallowing and one's ability to maintain good nutrition. Health care professionals provide guidelines and tips for diet changes and for decision-making regarding a feeding tube; patients and their families share their own experiences and demonstrate their ingenuity in adapting to the changes that weakened swallowing muscles and structures can cause. Information about a feeding tube is included along with patients' perspectives.
The video is available free of charge to patients and their families and health care provider.

Click here to watch this video online 

Living With ALS©
Adapting to Breathing Changes and Use of Noninvasive Ventilation

Starting with a review of normal breathing, this video describes how ALS impacts this vital body function and what can be done to help the person with ALS. As the muscles used for breathing become weak, people with ALS can benefit from a range of techniques and equipment such as noninvasive ventilation (NIV). Patients, families and health care professionals share information on decision-making and use of NIV. Use of long-term mechanical ventilation with tracheostomy is briefly discussed.
The video is available free of charge to patients and their families and health care provider.

Click here to watch this video online

Living With ALS©
Communication Solutions and Symptom Management

Expressing needs, feelings, ideas, preferences and opinions allows people to control and modify their environment. Perhaps most important, communication keeps us connected! The video provides a closer look at speaking difficulties, how to manage those difficulties and introduces you to speech language pathologists and others who can guide you in making the best choices in managing communication. Also, you'll learn how to manage other symptoms associated with ALS including emotional lability, increased saliva and what treatments are available.
The video is available free of charge to patients and their families and health care provider.

Click here to watch this video online 

Living With ALS©
Clinical Care Management Discussion among ALS Experts

(Taken from the Neurology publication Practice Parameter: the Care of the Patient with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) 

This evidence-based review addresses some of the major clinical management issues in patients with ALS, and highlights the many areas in which more research is needed. These practice parameters were developed to improve the care and the quality of life of people with ALS by providing a rational basis for managing the disease. The multi-disciplinary task force involved in the discussion includes 19 physicians, three people with ALS, one gastroenterologist, one pulmonologist, one occupational therapist, and one nurse, all with extensive ALS experience.
The video is available free of charge to patients and their families and health care provider.

Click here to watch this 2-part video online

Caring for the Caregiver

Educational video by Ismail & Cheryl Tsieprati that explores ways caregivers can take better care of themselves, reduce stress, make life easier and more enjoyable, and find help when it is needed.

Driving Force: A Story of Life

An inspiring video featuring Dr. Frank de Leon Jones, a psychiatrist and ALS patient. Despite his disease and the need for continuous mechanical ventilation, Dr. de Leon Jones continues his challenging medical practice and physician education responsibilities. This is a film of courage, persistence and love of life. It offers poignant messages for ALS patients, family and caregivers as well as health care providers. Dr. de Leon Jones teaches us all lessons from the heart in this powerful video.

Ventilation: The Decision Making Process
The Les Turner ALS Foundation

A 20-minute video designed for ALS patients, their family members and health professionals. It includes interviews with three ventilator dependent ALS patients, family members and the medical staff from Lois Insolia ALS Center at Northwestern University Medical School.