Alberta Heath Services (AHS) is teaching Albertans ways of dealing with chronic illness, one workshop at a time.
Over the course of the next few months, AHS is offering their Better Choices, Better Health program to Bonnyville and area residents. From Nov. 7 to Dec. 12, those interested in learning more about living with chronic health issues can join AHS at the Bonnyville Friendship Centre from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. each Wednesday.
“It’s a workshop that puts knowledge into action to better manage your health,” explained Dalerie Felstad, a registered nurse working with the chronic disease management portfolio with AHS and coordinator with self-management. “Living with a long-term health problem can be overwhelming. Unlike a broken bone, chronic conditions are with you for months, sometimes years, or forever, and the impact on your daily life, relationships, and well-being can be profound.”
The six-week series offers options to manage issues that arise with chronic illness, and ways to live a full and satisfying life.
“AHS understands that people coping with long-term health conditions manage their health 24/7, 365 days a year, and that’s a really big job,” she said.
Anyone with any form of chronic health issue can register for the program, including mental health problems, and caregivers to someone struggling with a life-long condition.
“It’s really broad, and everyone’s welcome,” Felstad detailed, adding over 80 per cent of Albertans over the age of 45 suffer from chronic illnesses.
Subjects covered during the program include coping with pain, managing medication, dealing with difficult emotions, eating healthier, and getting more physical activity, among others.
Each meeting ends with an action planning activity, aimed at helping participants reach their targets.
“That’s to simply help with breaking down a participant’s goals into smaller more manageable pieces and help with creating a plan for the week, something that they want to do that’s achievable... It really helps with making a realistic achievable plan,” Felstad explained, noting the method is about taking small steps that add up over the course of the workshop.
The volunteer-run program is led and designed by people living with health challenges. The goal is to help people build the tools and practices to actively manage their own health.
The program has been adopted in 26 countries after AHS received positive results.
Felstad said, “It’s an evidence-based widely respected chronic disease self-management program that shows the evidence that the workshop supports folks to make weekly action plans, they share experiences, and help each other solve problems they encounter. This all adds up to improved energy, improved self rated health, and new health behaviours, like exercise or eating better.”
Cold Lake also has the series scheduled starting Sept. 20. It will run until Oct. 25 at the Alberta Supports building from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. St. Paul will be hosting the workshop at the St. Paul Wellness Centre from Nov. 8 to Dec. 13 from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
“If we think of the average time a person spends in a doctor’s office, or with other health care providers, it adds up to approximately 12 hours per year. This compared to the other 8,748 hours per year managing their condition independently. Consequently, folks with chronic conditions should be given support to make informed decisions to manage the impact of their disease, and really help build their self-advocacy, self-confidence, and manage on their own,” Felstad expressed.
To register for the workshop, or for more information, call 1-877-349-5711 or visit www.betterchoicesbetterhealth.ca.
