Research and treatment timeline: 30+ years of ms milestones | 4

Friendly Visiting Volunteer Program:
Companionship for long-term care residents
Clare, a former nurse with secondaryprogressive
MS, has lived in long-term
care for 12 years. While she is fortunate to
have many friends and family who visit her,
Clare is especially grateful for her friendship
with Robin, her visitor from the MS Society’s
Friendly Visiting Volunteer Program.
“Robin and I are so much alike,” Clare says.
“We hit it off right away.” Robin, who was
diagnosed with MS three years ago, visits her
every Thursday. “We just sit and share things,”
Clare says. “We go to the farmer’s market in
the morning when it’s a little cooler and when
we’re at a better energy level.”
A study led by Dr. Sharon Warren of the
University of Alberta 1 found that people with
MS who live in long-term care are often
isolated, lonely and at risk of depression. In
2008, the MS Society, Alberta and Northwest
Territories Division successfully advocated for
provincial government funding for the Friendly
Visiting Volunteer Program, which matches
Anne was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
in April 2012, but she and her doctor
believe she has had the disease for more
than 20 years. “I’ve experienced a lot of
small, mysterious symptoms throughout my
life,” Anne says. “When I was finally able to
put a name to the disease, I tried to find out
everything I could about it.”
When Anne accessed the MS Society website,
she discovered the new MS Research Portal;
as a former nurse, Anne sees the value of
participating in medical research. To start,
Anne took part in Dr. Michelle Ploughman’s
extensive “Canadian Survey of Health
Lifestyle and Aging with MS,” which gathers
information on mental health, physical health,
volunteers with people with MS who would
benefit from companionship.
The program currently operates in Edmonton
and Calgary, where over 100 residents receive
visits from volunteers and staff who run the
program. The MS Society is working closely
with the Alberta government to expand the
program to rural Alberta.
Clare feels that Robin has become much more
than a visitor. The two share a very warm
friendship, and every week that they are
together, they provide each other with moral
support. The visits also give her a sense of
satisfaction. “I’m not nursing physically, but
I’m nursing on a psychological and spiritual
level,” Clare says.
For more information, visit mssociety.ca/
friendlyvisiting ■
1 Warren, S. et al. A profile of multiple sclerosis patients in long term
care centres using the Continuing Care Needs Determination Instrument
(CCNDI). Presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centres
Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2000.
MS Research Portal: you can participate in ms research
diet, exercise, smoking, stress and other
aspects of health in relation to the trajectory
of MS in one’s life.
The MS Research Portal website features
research studies in Canada that are
currently seeking participants. All studies
are supported by the MS Society or other
recognized funding agencies that have formal
peer review processes.
“Participating in research isn’t just for me,”
Anne says. “The information I provide is going
to help someone else with MS looking to
educate themselves on the disease.”
To access the MS Research Portal, visit
msresearch.ca ■
ms canada Fall/Winter 2012 3