Self-management is an essential skill for maintaining our physical and emotional health and wellbeing, especially for those of us, who are living with chronic illnesses (such as Type 2 diabetes). Creating a routine of beneficial self-management activities is a vital part of our individual self-efficacy journey and is a predictor of positive health outcomes for chronic disease. Essential self-management skills for individuals living with diabetes include:
👩⚕️ Surrounding ourselves with an experienced team of health care professionals
🤝 Maintaining an open and collaborative relationship with our healthcare team
💙 Monitoring and recording our clinical health outcomes, e.g., heart health
🥕 Developing a healthy eating routine
🛒 Maintaining essential function and mobility for everyday activities
🚴♂️ Regularly participating in physical activity and/or structured exercise
👨⚕️ Adhering to medical recommendations (including prescription medication)
🍰 Regularly monitoring blood sugar levels (diabetes)
🍻 Limiting alcohol intake and quitting smoking
💤 Following a healthy sleep routine
👊 Developing and maintaining a strong peer support network
😊 Participating in activities to maintain mental health & wellbeing
It is important to maintain a consistent approach when managing our health, especially around the festive holiday season, as these fundamental self-management activities and self-care behaviours are known to have a positive impact on long-term disease progression and can prevent the onset and development of subsequent chronic illnesses.
IPCIUM are developing innovative new tools, programs, and digital technologies to support individuals (and their treating health care teams) improve the management of their chronic disease and their quality of life through improvements in health literacy, self-efficacy and real time reporting of clinical outcomes and health care plan customisation.
For reference, IPCIUM have utilised the following resources:
