What is Self Care?

Self Care is an integral part of daily life and is all about individuals taking responsibility for their own health and wellbeing, with support from their health and social care professionals.

Self Care includes the actions people take every day in order to stay fit and maintain good physical and mental health, meet their social and psychological needs, prevent illness or accidents, and care more effectively for minor ailments and long term conditions.

People living with a long term condition can benefit enormously from being supported to self care.  They can live longer, suffer less pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue, have a better quality of life and be more active and independent.

• Self care does not mean sole care - there is help available.
  
  
• Being able to self care is a good thing - it puts you in control of your own health care.  You are/can be an expert in living with your condition on a daily basis.
  
  
• There are choices of support and treatment available.
  
  
• There are often lifestyle changes you can make that can significantly impact on and improve your condition.
  
  
• Ask your healthcare professional about a personalised care plan to help manage your condition.
  
  
• Personalised care planning is a conversation or a series of conversations between you and a health and social care professional.
  
  
• A personalised care plan is a record of the discussion about the support and services available to help you live with your condition including agreed decisions, actions, goals and follow-up.
  
  
• There are lots of equipment to help you manage your long term condition to allow you to live independently and stay healthy.
  
  
• Your local pharmacist can give you help and advice about your health and wellbeing, particularly if you have a long term condition.

Visit the NHS Choices website for more information on what help you can expect, real life stories and a chance to sign up for personalised health information: http://www.nhs.uk/yourhealth