BCSM - Aboriginal Chronic Disease Self-Management Program Canada

BCSM - Aboriginal Chronic Disease Self-Management Program

Chronic Disease Self-Management Program - Aboriginal

What is the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program?

The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program is a six-week workshop that helps people with chronic health conditions to better manage their symptoms and their daily lives. The workshop provides information and teaches practical skills. It gives people the confidence and motivation they need to manage the challenges of living with chronic health conditions. The Aboriginal version of the program includes Aboriginal artwork and culturally relevant examples.

The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program has been held in over 50 Aboriginal communities throughout British Columbia.

 

For an overview of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, click here. 

Who can attend?
Adults experiencing any type of chronic health conditions, as well as their family, friends and/or caregivers. Participants must be able to function in a group setting. 

What does it cost to attend?
It is FREE to participants, and participants receive the Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions course book. Participants must pre-register for the program and are encouraged to attend all six sessions.

What happens in the workshop?
Workshop groups meet once a week for 2.5 hours, over six weeks. There are ten to sixteen participants in each workshop. In the workshop, you will learn about: 

• healthy eating
• Starting and maintaining exercise
• pain and fatigue management
• stress management
• communicating with your healthcare professional
• managing medications
• planning and problem solving

Participants take an active role in the workshop by setting weekly goals and providing feedback on how they managed. 

Who leads the workshops?
The workshop is led by two leaders who have taken special training. The leaders are volunteers, many of whom have chronic conditions themselves. 

Who developed the program?
The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program is a licensed program developed and researched at Stanford University. It follows a standardized format that is proven to help people learn to better manage symptoms. It is considered a best practice program in self-management. 

What participants are saying about the program in Aboriginal communities:
We have done four workshops in different communities and I think in every community there are at least one or two that are so enthused and excited about the tools they are getting from the workshops -whether it is the action planning or to see little things like freezing small meals ahead for the days when you are too tired and in too much pain to cook and asking family or friends for help and different ways of communicating.

I guess just acknowledging that I do have a chronic condition and that there are tools to help. I know there are things there like if I am feeling, “Oh, how am I going to cope with this?” I know that I’ve got something I can go back on and something to use and then I know that I have somewhere to look and to find something to help.

The program gave you the idea that you are not in this alone and you never are alone and to always have a buddy to reach out to. There is somebody from the program I could phone up and talk to and say, “Hey! Listen! I have got this problem, lets brain storm, help me brain storm, help me get to the bottom of solving this problem.” I guess it kind of gives you the sense you have people who care but you also take your own direction in managing what you need to be managed at the time – whatever the problem is.

How do I get involved?

Please contact:

June Clearsky
Aboriginal Liaison