Arthritis At Home 305 – Key tools on the Road to Adult Arthritis Care website
In this special episode of Arthritis at Home, Kelly Lendvoy, ACE’s VP, Communications & Public Affairs, speaks with Drs. Michelle Batthish and Karen Beattie, and Matthew Sholdice – the McMaster University team that has launched a new online resource called the Road to Adult Arthritis Care. The website was co-created with youth, parents, and caregivers, to help young people living with arthritis confidently prepare for adult arthritis care.
The McMaster team speak about the key tools found on the website:
- Youth Transition Road Map
For teens aged 15–18 and young adults aged 18–25, this visual guide walks through what to expect, how to prepare, and how to take the lead in your care, from managing medications and appointments to planning for school, work, and relationships. - Helping You Reach Your Transition Goals
This tip- and hack-filled guide is packed with personal advice from youth who’ve already made the move to adult care. It offers ways to build confidence, learn new skills, and get organized. - Parent & Caregiver Reference Guide
Created with input from diverse families across Canada, this guide helps parents and caregivers know when and how to support — and when to step back — while staying connected as their young person becomes a more independent healthcare advocate.
About Dr. Michelle Batthish, Dr. Karen Beattie, and Matthew Sholdice
Dr. Michelle Batthish is a pediatric rheumatologist and researcher at McMaster University who focuses on improving education, skill building and experiences for youth with rheumatic disease as they prepare to transfer from pediatric rheumatology care.
Dr. Karen Beattie brings expertise in research methods and patient and family engagement, helping people with lived experiences as patients or caregivers become active partners in research and care.
Matthew Sholdice is a McMaster Health Sciences Graduate and Research Assistant at McMaster Children’s Hospital. Diagnosed at the age of three with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Matthew brings both a patient and a youth perspective on the experiences of transitioning from pediatric to adult care. In 2024, he was awarded a Summer Studentship to carry out a project working with Dr. Vinod Chandran looking at the relationship between patient acceptable symptom state, disease activity, and treatment satisfaction in patients with psoriatic arthritis.
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