Life goes on even though some diseases don’t go away. The Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Disease workshops help people learn to self-manage their conditions and feel more in control of their lives.
“The workshops give people the information and skills to cope with whatever disease they have. We help them to help themselves,” said Dolores Birnie, one of the volunteer facilitators of the program.
The workshops are suitable for people of all ages who have diabetes, heart disease, asthma, fibromyalgia, arthritis, lung disease or any other chronic disease. Each person who takes the course, developed by the University of Victoria Centre on Aging, receives a book, Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions. The book and workshops cover exercise, relaxation, nutrition, and other aspects of disease self-management.
“People with chronic conditions are looking for a way to make a change in their lives. The workshops bring people together with a common denominator of chronic disease that they have to live with and help them learn to have a more positive outlook on their lives,” said Jo-Anne West, program volunteer facilitator.
“Each week, people set a goal, something doable and meaningful to them, it could be taking a walk or cleaning a closet, and set an action plan to achieve their goal. People find this really motivating, when they can see the change in themselves over the six weeks of the program.”
People can come and watch and listen and do not have to speak up at the first session but they still must pre-register. Anyone who has taken this course or the Chronic Pain Self-Management workshops is welcome to take them again.
“At the end of the course, people say how much they enjoyed it and that they did not want it to end. They are surprised at themselves and how much they have learned. They love the book because they can go through it at their own pace,” said Birnie, who has facilitated a workshop on chronic pain.
“They see that they can get out and do something for themselves and have some control over their lives.”
The next workshops take place Jan. 20 to Feb. 24, Feb. 15 to March 22, Feb. 22 to March 29, and May 13 to June 17.
The course is free but pre-registration is required. Family members, friends and caregivers of the person with chronic disease are welcome to attend but each person must pre-register as well.
To pre-register and for more information, see www. selfmanagementbc.ca, e-mail selfmanagement@eastlink.ca or call toll- free 1-866-902-3767, or call Karen Swales at 250-545-3390 (ext. 215). If the desired workshop is full, people will be put on a waiting list for the next chronic disease or chronic pain self-management program in their area.