- the 6 week course that could change your life
- Would you like to feel better, have more energy and do more of the activities you enjoy?
- Do you live with chronic pain, fatigue, tiredness or depression?
- Have you been told to make changes to your diet or exercise and lack the motivation to stick at it?
- Would you like to learn new ways of coping and better managing your symptoms, health or life?
- Do you have trouble taking your medications regularly?
- Do you leave the doctor's surgery with unanswered questions or still not sure what you can do to help yoursef or your loved one?
This programme is for YOU!
Click on the sections or pages below to find out more:
- Tell me more about the course
- Read other people's comments
- Find a course near you
- Get Involved - consider becoming a course leader or help in other ways
- Sign up for a bimonthly newsletter
- Research and evidence base
- Additional information and related links
Tell me more
The Living a Healthy Life programme has many different names and is based on the Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme (CDMSP) that has been developed over many years at Stanford University. Within New Zealand, the course is known as:
- My Health, Our LIFE in Counties Manukau,
- the LIFE Programme in central Auckland,
- Living a Healthy Life (throughout NZ delivered by Arthritis NZ)
Participants attend for half a morning, afternoon or evening (2.5 hours) once a week for six weeks.
- Courses are held in local community settings such as community houses, recreation rooms, church halls and marae.
- The workshops are presented in small groups of between 10-15 participants.
- Two trained leaders, one of whom may be a peer leader (non health professional) with a chronic condition themselves, facilitate the workshops.
- Family or friends are welcome and encouraged to attend with you
- Come and have fun, make new friends and learn practical skills and ideas that will really work
Workshop topics include:
- Strategies for handling frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation
- Tips for safe exercise and physical activity
- Tips for taking medications safely
- Tips for healthy eating
- Mindfulness and relaxation
- Communication skills that will help with family, friends and health professionals
- Problem solving - learn how to tackle any proble
- Goal setting and making action plans
- Cuppa and chat time too!
Who should attend?
Anyone who lives with a long-term health condition will benefit from attending this course.
Examples of health conditions are:
- arthritis, gout or SLE
- diabetes,
- heart disease,
- cancer,
- respiratory or lung problems such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, COPD or asthma,
- depression, anxiety disorders, social phobia or panic problems
- chronic pain, (up to 80% suffer from chronic back, neck or shoulder pain at some stage)
- endometriosis,
- Multiple sclerosis
- bowel problems such as reflux, chrohns disease or ulcerative colitis
- haemophilia
- functional syndromes such as IBS and fibromyalgia
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and more.
Evidence supporting this approach:
This programme is used in over 17 countries and has been found to be effective across ethnic groups. Current literature suggests that CDSMP leads to significant improvements in several health outcomes which can last up to 3 years or more after completion of the programme.
Studies have shown significant financial savings on health care due to fewer days in hospital, emergency room visits, visits to GP’s http://patienteducation.stanford.edu/programs/