Community Groups

Community-Based Groups

A wide range of home and community-based services are available to patients with ALS, their families, and caregivers.
To determine which services are available locally, contact the:

Local health department
Local hospitals
Local United Way Agency
Local ALSA chapter or support group
Local MDA office or clinic
County office

Services that may be offered include:

Transportation services by volunteer drivers or by bus, taxi, or specially equipped vans
Legal assistance
Financial advice
Assistance with filing insurance claims
Respite care
Hospice and home care services

Home Health Services

May include Meals on Wheels, visiting homemaker, electronic emergency response systems, financial assistance, legal aid, and transportation.

Mental Health Services

State Department of Social Services
State Department of Health
State Department on Aging and Insurance
Area Agencies on the Aging (if over 65)

Transportation Services

In many areas, various organizations provide transportation for those unable to obtain transportation on their own.

MDA Clinics/ALSA Care Centers

Some ALSA clinical care centers and MDA clinics offer a transportation service to patients or may be able to put individuals in touch with other transportation providers. These centers provide information about services, policies, and procedures.

Community-Based Services

Transportation services may be available to ALS patients through city or county agencies, local hospitals, or volunteer organizations. Senior citizens may be able to find transportation services through community-based programs for the aging. For example, Eldercare locator, a service of the Area Agencies on the Aging, can help ALS patients over the age of 65 find transportation assistance. Other examples of transportation service providers are county Para-Transit programs, First Call for Help, Red Cross Wheels, Life Line, and Dial-A-Ride.

Private Services

Private transportation services are available to assist individuals with special needs. Check the Yellow Pages for local providers and adaptations for special needs.

Pharmacy

Information about medications
Medication delivery
Assistive devices
Referrals
Reimbursement information

Important Treatment Considerations

Evaluate serum ALT levels every month during the first 3 months of treatment, and every 3 months during the remainder of the first year. Thereafter, serum ALT levels should be periodically evaluated more frequently in patients who develop elevations. Rilutek should be discontinued if ALT levels increase to 5 times ULN or if clinical jaundice develops.
Advise patients about the potential for dizziness, vertigo, or somnolence and not to drive or operate machinery until they have sufficient experience on Rilutek.
Advise patients to report any febrile illness; measure WBCs.
Use Rilutek with caution in patients with concomitant liver insufficiency; caution should be exercised when prescribing Rilutek to patients taking drugs that are potentially hepatotoxic or highly protein bound:
- Interactions may also occur when riluzole is given concurrently with agents that affect hepatic CYP 1A2 activity.^*

*CYP 1A2 is the principal isoenzyme involved in the initial oxidative metabolism of riluzole. CYP 1A2 inhibitors, such as amitriptyline, caffeine, phenacetin, theophylline, or quinolones, may potentially decrease the rate of riluzole elimination. CYP 1A2 inducers, such as cigarette smoke, charcoal-broiled food, rifampicin, or omeprazole, may potentially increase the rate of elimination.

The health information contained herein is provided for general educational purposes only. As a healthcare professional, you are the single best source of information regarding healthcare for your patients with ALS. Please contact sanofi-aventis if you have any questions or need more information about treating ALS.