CEART PatientWise, "Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions"

mathepac

For people living with long-term illness, I would like to recommend a course delivered by tutors trained and supervised to the standards set by the Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management team.

I completed the 6-session course a couple of weeks ago and for me it has proved invaluable.

For further details see http://www.ceartpatientwise.ie/ or ring or write to:

Anne Cody
PatientWise Coordinator
CEART
The Courthouse
Callan
Co. Kilkenny

email annecody@ceart.ie
Tel: 056 775 5757
Mob: 087 902 8534

Other than being a grateful graduate of a recent programme, I have no connection with CEART

The_Conductor

Are the courses free or do you have to pay for them?
What sort of things are covered- aka living with chronic illness is a very broad subject- as the manner in which different illnesses manifest themselves, means whats good for me might not be good for you and vice versa.
The website seems to indicate this is Kilkenny based- or is it nationwide?

mathepac

Most of your questions are answered here http://www.ceartpatientwise.ie/management.html in that section of the web-site.

In summary: €60 for the course including refreshments and course materials

The course is non-medical and does not deal with the "medical issues" but with living issues. It does give some guidance on how to gain most benefit from interactions with medical teams, but that's it. What it focuses on are the common issues that arise with chronic illnesses, irrespective of the illness(es) themselves

Most people living with chronic illness will spend a tiny percentage of their time interacting with medics, nurses, physios, etc This programme is about the majority of time spent living life with their illness and about maximising the 'living' part of that time.

The course currently runs in Kilkenny/Carlow. If demand increases it can be expanded geographically.

Thank you for your interest, HTH

Dizzyblonde

smccarrick wrote: »

living with chronic illness is a very broad subject- as the manner in which different illnesses manifest themselves, means whats good for me might not be good for you and vice versa.

I have to agree, and I wonder how many people with chronic illness would be able to attend such long sessions. I also wonder what what takes two and a half hours a week for six weeks. My condition is not serious or life-threatening but extremely limiting so maybe it just wouldn't suit me.

I find there's nothing like a good support group, either within reach or online.
Peer support and being in touch with others who really know what you're going through is so important. It's often the best way to get coping tips and new ideas on dealing with your condition. As I said though, it may be different for people with more serious conditions than me.

mathepac

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

... I wonder how many people with chronic illness would be able to attend such long sessions. ...

Maybe we need a review of our respective understandings of "chronic illness". The CEART Patientwise course defines a chronic illness as one:

• That has a gradual onset
• That may have multiple causes
• That may be of indefinite duration
• Where diagnosis in uncertain especially early on
• Where diagnostic tests may be of limited value
• Where cures are rare
• Where the role of health professionals is that of teacher and partner and
• Where the role of the patient is as a partner to health professionals, with primary responsibility for daily management.

Understandably perhaps, I now subscribe to this definition. Before taking the course, I might not have.

The 2.50 hour sessions are broken into manageable chunks with a decent mid-session break for refreshments, toilet etc. The majority of my class-mates found the sessions manageable.

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

... I also wonder what what takes two and a half hours a week for six weeks. ...

Beginning the process of change essentially; changing how we think about and act / interact with our illness(es) and changing the role we have in the daily management of it/them. That takes time and is challenging.

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

...
I find there's nothing like a good support group, either within reach or online.
Peer support and being in touch with others who really know what you're going through is so important. It's often the best way to get coping tips and new ideas on dealing with your condition. As I said though, it may be different for people with more serious conditions than me.

The CEART PatientWise course is not a replacement for peer-managed / facilitated support groups and in fact it encourages participation in these.

The key idea / innovation in the course is that on a day-to-day basis there are more similarities than differences in living with and managing chronic illness for all sufferers.

HTH, thanks for your interest.

Dizzyblonde

Thanks for that mathepac, you've explained it all very well. I find the Ceart definition of chronic illness particularly interesting and can completely identify with it, unfortunately.

I'll keep an eye on the website, thanks.