What is self care?
What is self care?
Self care is what we all do everyday to make sure we are looking after our health and well-being. This includes: staying fit and healthy, both physically and mentally; taking action to prevent illness and accidents; better use of medicines; treatment of minor ailments and better care of long term conditions. (Department of Health, 2006)
Self care in a health and social care context focuses on helping health and social care professionals to develop active partnerships with patients to encourage them to:
- recognise and monitor their symptoms
- allow people to undertake strategies to aid recovery
- be involved in treatment decisions e.g: understanding test results so they know what action is needed and why
- enable people to book routine tests when they need them rather than only going through their GP for permission
- support them in active management through problem solving, pacing and action planning
- help them to become active members of society through work, leisure and the development of personal/social relationships
(DOH 2005/2006)
The term 'self management' relates to the support for self care that increases the confidence of people with a long term condition to lead as independent and fulfilling life as possible.
