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By John M. Bigler Recently I was asked to join the legal board for the Long Island Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. I must admit that I was ignorant about arthritis, the crippling affect that it could have on people, the cost to society and the many breakthroughs that have taken place. Like many people, I thought arthritis was just something that one had to live with. However, the slogan for the Arthritis Foundation "we can help", the Long Island Chapter is certainly an example of that.
The Long Island Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation provides a number of programs and services to benefit people with arthritis. One of their big benefits is education, providing information on the more than 150 types of arthritis. The Chapter sponsors public forums on specialized topics. They have a speakers bureau of medical specialists available to present lectures. They have a library with video tapes on a variety of topics. The tapes are loaned free of charge. They also publish "Arthritis Today", a bimonthly magazine with the latest information on research, plus human interest stories. The local chapter has a monthly program calendar listing services and programs on Long Island. They have seminars and literatures for health professionals to increase their knowledge of the disease. The local chapter has over 100 different booklets on various topics.
One of the more essential benefits of the local chapter is an information and referral help line with trained staff and volunteers to answer questions from callers about arthritis and how to cope with its affects. Referrals can be made to physicians and clinics as well as the Arthritis Foundation programs. Another key element of the Foundation is local support groups to provide a positive and friendly environment for learning and sharing. Meetings include group discussions, guest speakers and sometimes even a party to celebrate a special occasion.
There are aquatic and exercise programs to teach appropriate exercises to increase joint range of motion and build muscle strength which helps to decrease pain. The chapter also loans out wheelchairs, walkers, canes, commodes and other equipment free of charge.
From what I can see at the meeting, the dedicated people who work at the local chapter, the mission statement of the Arthritis Foundation certainly applies to them. The mission of the Arthritis Foundation is to improve lives through leadership and the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases. If you are interested in joining the Foundation or supporting its work, you can contact them at (631) 427-8272.
Reprinted with permission of the Suffolk Times © 2003 [ Contact Us ] [ Guestbook ] [ Email ]  The Law Offices of John M. Bigler, Attorney At Law 1421 Wantagh Avenue, Wantagh, New York 11793-2206 1-888-ELDER-LAW · 516-409-6565 · Fax: 516-409-6522 E-Mail: info@biglerlaw.com · Web Site: www.biglerlaw.com |
I found out that arthritis is the leading cause of disability in Americans over the age of 15. The total cost of arthritis is $149.4 billion dollars. This disease strikes all ages including children. Currently there are more than 43 million Americans suffering from arthritis and as our population ages, there is expected to be a huge leap in the number of individuals affected by arthritis. On Long Island alone, there are approximately 421,000 people suffering from arthritis. That includes different types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, gout, juvenile arthritis and lupus. On Long Island there are approximately 382,000 doctor visits each year and 4,900 hospitalizations.