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Medicare Information for Persons With Epilepsy

The new changes to the Medicare prescription drug program can present some very difficult decision for persons with epilepsy. Medications play a key role in managing and controlling seizures so choosing the best plan for your particular situation is vital.

We are pleased to announce a new resource, www.epilepsyadvocate.com, to assist you in making this important decision. Its' interactive features allow you to enter your individual needs and then find a plan that best suits you from a menu of appropriate plans to choose from.

The site also offers excellent information for daily living when you have epilepsy. www.epilepsyadvocate.com is made possible by UCB, Inc. the epilepsy company.

New Website for Parents

The Epilepsy Foundation has developed a new website, www.epilepsyandmychild.org , to better help meet the needs of parents who have a child with epilepsy. This extensive site offers a wide variety of useful information on the impact seizures can have on a family, educational aids to assist the family in caring for a child with epilepsy and financial planning. The site also offers the capability to communicate electronically with other parents who may be facing similar issues.

www.epilepsyandmychild.org is made possible by a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Childhood Epilepsy Workshops Offered

The Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia is teaming up with Children's Medical Services (CMS) to offer a series of educational workshops on childhood epilepsy. Getting an Early Start on Being Seizure Smart is made possible by an educational grant from UCB, Inc.

The workshops are free and open to the public, with each session lasting approximately two hours. Among the topics covered by the program are the different types of epilepsy, seizure triggers, appropriate first aid, treatment options, school issues and seizure action plans and epilepsy resources in the community. The presentation is appropriate for parents, caregivers, school nurses, pediatric practice personnel. For more information on an individual program site, contact lloyd@epilepsyga.org.

Workshop Schedule

Savannah July 15 Candler Hospital 6:30 – 8:30 pm

Athens July 22 DFACS office 1 - 4 pm

Decatur August 13 Dekalb Co. Board of Health 10 am – noon

Albany September 16 Darton College TBD

Seizure Tracking Tool

Communicating about your seizures with your physician is important to getting the best treatment possible. Your answers to the questions of how many seizures have occurred since the last appointment, how long did they last , type of seizure and medication compliance give the physician a clear idea of your seizure pattern.

Unfortunately, many times we don't have exact answers, or may have forgotten certain issues about seizure duration, etc. There is now a free online tool to assist you in recording this important data about your seizure activity . Designed by a web savvy couple whose son has epilepsy, www.seizuretracker.com is a site dedicated to providing people with epilepsy and their physicians with a comprehensive tools to help understand relationships between seizure activity and anti-epileptic medications. With just a few simple keystrokes, you can have a customized report outlining your seizure occurrences.

Entertainers Team Up To "Talk About It"

Celebrities from the television, film and music worlds have come together for a new informational website to create more awareness of epilepsy. Stars included in the site are Jennifer Garner, John Mayer and the entire cast of the NBC hit show Heroes.

Heroes star Greg Grunberg, who is the parent of a child with epilepsy, collaborated with the Epilepsy Foundation to create the site as he saw a need for a place where people could come together to communicate about epilepsy and learn more about the disorder. Visitors will a multifaceted source of information on types of seizures, dealing with emotional impact and a resource list of support.

We invite you to visit Greg and his friends at the new site, www.TalkAboutIt.org . We also encourage you to "talk about it", so that we can reduce the stigma and misinformation often attached to epilepsy.

New Educational Resource Now Available

We are pleased to announce the establishment of an exciting, new educational resource for school nurses, teachers and parents of children with a seizure disorder.

You can now go to the website www.epilepsyclassroom.com to find a wide range of helpful information designed to improve the quality of education for your child or a student you might teach in your class. The site includes a glossary of terms related to epilepsy, easy to understand descriptions of the various types of seizures, first aid information and lesson plans appropriate to different grade levels to teach a child's peers about the disorder. Numerous forms that can be used by both family members and school personnel to plan for a child's specific educational needs can also be downloaded from this site.

Foundation Launches Hispanic Website

Georgia has one the largest and fastest-growing Hispanic populations in the country. Because of this tremendous growth we are seeing more and more Spanish-speaking people with dealing with seizure disorders/epilepsy.

Often times, it is difficult for persons with epilepsy to find educational materials and other resources printed in their native tongue. Realizing this, the Epilepsy Foundation has created a new Spanish language website, www.fundacionparalaepilepsia.org. This site has numerous sections describing the various types of seizures, treatment options, and ways an individual and family can live more successfully with epilepsy.

Epilepsy knows no borders, and we are pleased that we can offer this new resource.

Employment Program Returns!

The Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia is pleased to announce the return of our Employment Program to assist persons with epilepsy. The affiliate previously had an employment program from 1968- 200, but was forced to close the program down due to severe budget cuts in the wake of 9/11.Thanks to the Georgia Department of Labor, UCB and a grant from the Epilepsy Foundation's National office, the program has now been restored.

Marilyn Poliakoff has joined the Georgia Affiliate staff, and will direct the Employment Program. She has extensive experience in the human resources field, and has worked with many large non-profits, including Emory University and Georgia State University. Marilyn may be contacted at marilyn@epilepsyga.org or (404) 527-7155, extension 225.

One of the new elements to the program is "Seize Control of Your Job Search", a four part workshop that includes sections on personality and skills assessments, resume writing skills, job search correspondence, professional etiquette and mock interviews. The workshop will also cover issues unique to epilepsy such as disclosure and legal rights. Plans are also underway to holder employer education seminars to help dispel much of the inaccurate information about epilepsy in the workplace.

We are pleased to once again be offering this service, and we invite you to contact Marilyn with any questions you may have concerning vocational issues.

Patient Advocacy Begins With You

Epilepsy treatment is constantly evolving, as research is providing us with new diagnostic tools, surgeries, medications and other treatment options.

It is important for you to be an active part in your epilepsy treatment team. The best treatment comes from a partnership between you and your doctor. This includes asking questions, making your concerns known and understanding the answers. In short, patient advocacy starts with you.

A brand new website, www.NoMoreSeizures.org, can provide you with the information and tools necessary to become a more active part of your medical team. Included on the site are suggestions of questions you might want to ask, information on the benefits and risks of the various treatment options, various downloadable medication records and seizure diaries, and a library of online epilepsy resources.

By utilizing the tools provided on this website, you will be able to improve your communications with your physician. By starting this conversation today, you can begin to change your tomorrow.