Moe resident Kayleen Smith said navigating life with multiple sclerosis could be challenging, however an innovative new service provided by Multiple Sclerosis Limited had helped her through some of the tough times.
Recently diagnosed with MS, Ms Smith said the over-the-phone service had assisted her with practical advice on how to manage life with the disease affecting the central nervous system.
“If you have a question to ask, a specialist is like $170, which is not achievable. You can ring (MS Advisor) for no cost,” she said.
Ms Smith said the immediacy of the service was beneficial.
“If you have a problem today, there is no support or resolution straight up. You have to book a doctor in, which would likely not be until the next afternoon,” she said.
The MS Advisor service provides individuals access to multidisciplinary, professional allied health advice, including an MS nurse, an MS social worker and an MS continence nurse advisor.
“It is good to ring a nurse (at MS Advisor) who can say, ‘have you tried this?’, and provide helpful hints that even doctors don’t know about,” she said.
“Some days I can’t move or walk properly, so they suggested physio.”
Ms Smith recommended the service for others living with MS in the region.
“Overall, the support is not just ideas of how to overcome things…. but they give that bit of extra counselling support and understanding that most people don’t understand. It is good to have that reassurance,” she said.
Multiple Sclerosis Limited senior manager Shea Shelton said the MS Advisor service allowed people to access professional advice without having to travel or wait long periods of time.
“We regularly hear people say they want more contemporary and convenient ways to access services, particularly our clients from regional Australia. This is why we introduced technology-based services, like MS Advisor,” Ms Shelton said.
Ms Shelton said the service had extremely positive feedback and had assisted 414 patients in the first quarter of 2017, some of them, like Ms Smith, from the Latrobe Valley.
“It’s so important to give people living with multiple sclerosis options,” she said.
MS Advisor can be accessed at 1800 042 138 or www.ms.org.au/support-services/ms-advisor.aspx
Moe resident Kayleen Smith said navigating life with multiple sclerosis could be challenging, however an innovative new service provided by Multiple Sclerosis Limited had helped her through some of the tough times.
Recently diagnosed with MS, Ms Smith said the over-the-phone service had assisted her with practical advice on how to manage life with the disease affecting the central nervous system.
“If you have a question to ask, a specialist is like $170, which is not achievable. You can ring (MS Advisor) for no cost,” she said.
Ms Smith said the immediacy of the service was beneficial.
“If you have a problem today, there is no support or resolution straight up. You have to book a doctor in, which would likely not be until the next afternoon,” she said.
The MS Advisor service provides individuals access to multidisciplinary, professional allied health advice, including an MS nurse, an MS social worker and an MS continence nurse advisor.
“It is good to ring a nurse (at MS Advisor) who can say, ‘have you tried this?’, and provide helpful hints that even doctors don’t know about,” she said.
“Some days I can’t move or walk properly, so they suggested physio.”
Ms Smith recommended the service for others living with MS in the region.
“Overall, the support is not just ideas of how to overcome things…. but they give that bit of extra counselling support and understanding that most people don’t understand. It is good to have that reassurance,” she said.
Multiple Sclerosis Limited senior manager Shea Shelton said the MS Advisor service allowed people to access professional advice without having to travel or wait long periods of time.
“We regularly hear people say they want more contemporary and convenient ways to access services, particularly our clients from regional Australia. This is why we introduced technology-based services, like MS Advisor,” Ms Shelton said.
Ms Shelton said the service had extremely positive feedback and had assisted 414 patients in the first quarter of 2017, some of them, like Ms Smith, from the Latrobe Valley.
“It’s so important to give people living with multiple sclerosis options,” she said.
MS Advisor can be accessed at 1800 042 138 or www.ms.org.au/support-services/ms-advisor.aspx
