Living Well with Arthritis:

A Self-Management

Approach

What is self-management?

Self-management is defined as the tasks that individuals must undertake to live with one or more chronic conditions. These tasks include having the confidence to deal with medical management, role management and emotional management of their conditions.

What is self-management?

What is the Living Well with Arthritis Programme?

• It’s a course that helps people with any form of arthritis or fibromyalgia manage their disease more effectively.

• It enables people to deal with pain and stress by giving helpful techniques such as exercise, relaxation, problem solving and by sharing experiences with others.

• The Arthritis Self-Management Programme is a programme that was developed in Stanford University in the USA and is delivered by Arthritis Ireland, under licence from Stanford University.

What does it involve?

• In just six weekly 2 ½ hour sessions, people will understand more about their arthritis and how to manage it.

Who is the course for?

• The course is for anyone over the age of 18 with any form of arthritis or fibromyalgia.

What makes this course so special?

• The course is delivered by people who have arthritis and work with people with arthritis. Therefore, they understand the difficulties faced.

• The emphasis is on learning what the person with arthritis can do for himself and how to make the most of the information from health professionals.

• It’s a supportive group where everyone shares helpful tips and experiences.

Key Guiding Principle

Self-Efficacy:

• Confidence in one’s ability to accomplish a specific behaviour.

e.g. If one were confident he or she could exert some control over his/her pain, the pain would probably be less.

Course Overview

TOPICS WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

WEEK 6

Self-management principles Pain management principles Cognitive pain management Goal-setting / Action plans Problem-solving steps Exercise / fitness Feedback / problem-solving Difficult emotions Healthy eating Osteoporosis Fatigue and energy conservation Depression Medication usage Working with Health Professionals Evaluating treatments Accessing Community Resources Sleep

Feedback at Session 1– Intense Pain– Inability to do things – Stops me doing a lot of thing– Sore & feeling tired constantly – Feeling useless-not being able to do what we used to do– Not being able to do physical work– Does not badly affect me but I’m always scared– Nuisance and can’t sit for long periods– Too young to have it and I don’t want it!– Nuisance– It’s a curse

Feedback at Session 6

- Self Management & Exercise is of great importance- Self Management improves my health- Positive views on dieting & exercises and relaxation- Less debilitating and more manageable than I realised- I can help myself from day to day - Disease I have to live with and with the help of others try to live

a normal life- More confident and able to tackle obstacles better- Painful condition you can learn to live with & grow through it- I am not the only one- Live an optimistic life with effective skills

Living Well with Arthritis :the story so far…

• September 2006 to date:

62 Leaders trained to deliver courses nationwide

Over 3,500 people with arthritis will have participated in

courses nationwide

• Research

Arthritis Ireland have carried out extensive research on

patient outcomes.

Research Findings

• Improved their ability to cope with pain by 50%.

• Increased their amount of regular exercise by 72%.

• Improved their attitude towards living with their condition by

63%.

• Increased their knowledge of their condition by 59%.

• Significant reduction in their visits to hospital and their reliance

on their GP in relation to their arthritis

Thank you!