Rheumatoid Arthritis Support and Education Programs

A diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or other inflammatory arthritis conditions like ankylosis, spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, can present enormous physical and emotional challenges. They are confronted with the tasks of:

• understanding a chronic illness
• managing a host of symptoms
• choosing among complex treatment options
• coping with potential changes in independence, self-esteem, work and family roles

To help people better understand and cope with their diagnosis, HSS offers free support and education programs for people with RA and inflammatory arthritis. Each of these programs is specifically designed to address the particular needs of people at different phases of their journey with their illness. Our Latinx Inflammatory Arthritis Support and Education program is designed for people with inflammatory arthritis from the Latino/a and Hispanic community and their families. The Latinx programs are in Spanish and English.

• The Early RA Support and Education Program
• Living with RA: Lecture, Lunch and Conversation
• Latinx Inflammatory Arthritis Support and Education Programs

All of our programs provide essential information from a wide range of health care professionals such as doctors, nurses, physical therapists, nutritionists and social workers. The information provided in these workshops is intended to:

• help participants make informed decisions about management and treatment of inflammatory arthritis and RA.
• offer peer support that many people find helpful in coping with the impact of the diagnosis.
• create a welcoming forum in which members can share their experiences and feelings about their daily challenges with this illness, and strategies they use to cope.

In Our Members' Own Words:

• "I can’t imagine how scary and overwhelming this would be without this group - the people, the setting, the information, and the support it provides. I don’t feel alone, and I think this is a huge part of coping with my RA."
• "I feel empowered to take a leading role on decisions associated with my care. I am less afraid about the implications of having this condition and I am also more aware of how I can protect myself from the risks associated with it."
• "I feel less alone… knowing there are a whole bunch of people I can talk with that are living with the disease. That gave me enough strength to move forward. I tried online support groups but this is very different and I believe so much better."