TAKE CHARGE IF DISEASE DOES DEVELOP
The number of people developing disease, and the number of people living with one or more than one disease increases every decade from around thirty onwards. But this is not, as we have emphasised, due to the ageing process but to having been exposed to the harmful environment in which we live for longer and longer. More than half of the people over fifty have more than one condition, it is formerly called that dreadful name, multiple morbidity but which is now called MLTC (Multiple Long-Term Conditions).
Obviously, the NHS has a vitally important part to play in managing these conditions particularly in making an accurate diagnosis, treating the acute phase of a disease such as a heart attack or cancer, and starting the right long-term treatment. However, for living well with one or more than one long term condition the most important person is called the patient, now sometimes being called the partner by clinicians. It is what people do for themselves that is vitally important in determining the outcome of the disease not only simply by taking the pills as they are prescribed, but also adapting and changing to their new condition. For example, it is common for there to be accelerated loss of fitness after the onset of a long-term condition. This is partly due to spending a week in bed during an initial acute phase, but after that follows inactivity based on the belief held that people need things done for them as opposed to being able to do things for themselves. This process of loss of function is called deconditioning and the response is called reconditioning which is different from, but closely related to, rehabilitation because the main people involved in reconditioning are the patient themselves and the communities in which they live, both the local community and the virtual community of other people facing the same challenge.
So, if you do have one or more long term conditions
LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST
The number of people developing disease, and the number of people living with one or more than one disease increases every decade from around thirty onwards. But this is not, as we have emphasised, due to the ageing process but to having been exposed to the harmful environment in which we live for longer and longer. More than half of the people over fifty have more than one condition, it is formerly called that dreadful name, multiple morbidity but which is now called MLTC (Multiple Long-Term Conditions).
Obviously, the NHS has a vitally important part to play in managing these conditions particularly in making an accurate diagnosis, treating the acute phase of a disease such as a heart attack or cancer, and starting the right long-term treatment. However, for living well with one or more than one long term condition the most important person is called the patient, now sometimes being called the partner by clinicians. It is what people do for themselves that is vitally important in determining the outcome of the disease not only simply by taking the pills as they are prescribed, but also adapting and changing to their new condition. For example, it is common for there to be accelerated loss of fitness after the onset of a long-term condition. This is partly due to spending a week in bed during an initial acute phase, but after that follows inactivity based on the belief held that people need things done for them as opposed to being able to do things for themselves. This process of loss of function is called deconditioning and the response is called reconditioning which is different from, but closely related to, rehabilitation because the main people involved in reconditioning are the patient themselves and the communities in which they live, both the local community and the virtual community of other people facing the same challenge.
So, if you do have one or more long term conditions
Points for Reflection after listening and reading; if you are working through these podcasts with a group ask people to turn to their neighbour and discuss these points or allocate them to a Zoom room if you are online
Prepare a list of all the drugs you are taking for your wallet or handbag and open a file, in a filing cabinet or on your computer, which is going to be the place where you create your own Patient record. Also put some actions in the box on line three of the Oxford Longevity Plan. The box on the right is for you to record actions like you have joined the Charity that is specifically designed for people with your condition
The number of people developing disease, and the number of people living with one or more than one disease increases every decade from around thirty onwards. But this is not, as we have emphasised, due to the ageing process but to having been exposed to the harmful environment in which we live for longer and longer. More than half of the people over fifty have more than one condition, it is formerly called that dreadful name, multiple morbidity but which is now called MLTC (Multiple Long-Term Conditions).
Obviously, the NHS has a vitally important part to play in managing these conditions particularly in making an accurate diagnosis, treating the acute phase of a disease such as a heart attack or cancer, and starting the right long-term treatment. However, for living well with one or more than one long term condition the most important person is called the patient, now sometimes being called the partner by clinicians. It is what people do for themselves that is vitally important in determining the outcome of the disease not only simply by taking the pills as they are prescribed, but also adapting and changing to their new condition. For example, it is common for there to be accelerated loss of fitness after the onset of a long-term condition. This is partly due to spending a week in bed during an initial acute phase, but after that follows inactivity based on the belief held that people need things done for them as opposed to being able to do things for themselves. This process of loss of function is called deconditioning and the response is called reconditioning which is different from, but closely related to, rehabilitation because the main people involved in reconditioning are the patient themselves and the communities in which they live, both the local community and the virtual community of other people facing the same challenge.
So, if you do have one or more long term conditions
- Decide you are going to keep your own health record and carry a summary of your medication with you wherever you go.
- Use the Oxford Longevity Project long-term plan to modify your fitness objectives and decide how you are going to cope well with the condition or conditions that have developed.
- Prepare for every consultation, making a list of questions you would like to ask, and record the consultation so that you can remember and reflect on what was discussed
- Join the community of people like you with the same condition which may be a national organisation like one of the big disease charities, like Diabetes UK or maybe a local organisation, perhaps itself partnered with a national organisation.
- Check with the doctor, GP or specialist, and increase the amount of exercise youtake
- Review your own condition once a year, perhaps the week before your birthday and almost always identify the things that you can do better to adapt to the disease, usually increasing the amount of physical activity that you take; fitness becomes even more important after the onset of disease than before.
LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST
The number of people developing disease, and the number of people living with one or more than one disease increases every decade from around thirty onwards. But this is not, as we have emphasised, due to the ageing process but to having been exposed to the harmful environment in which we live for longer and longer. More than half of the people over fifty have more than one condition, it is formerly called that dreadful name, multiple morbidity but which is now called MLTC (Multiple Long-Term Conditions).
Obviously, the NHS has a vitally important part to play in managing these conditions particularly in making an accurate diagnosis, treating the acute phase of a disease such as a heart attack or cancer, and starting the right long-term treatment. However, for living well with one or more than one long term condition the most important person is called the patient, now sometimes being called the partner by clinicians. It is what people do for themselves that is vitally important in determining the outcome of the disease not only simply by taking the pills as they are prescribed, but also adapting and changing to their new condition. For example, it is common for there to be accelerated loss of fitness after the onset of a long-term condition. This is partly due to spending a week in bed during an initial acute phase, but after that follows inactivity based on the belief held that people need things done for them as opposed to being able to do things for themselves. This process of loss of function is called deconditioning and the response is called reconditioning which is different from, but closely related to, rehabilitation because the main people involved in reconditioning are the patient themselves and the communities in which they live, both the local community and the virtual community of other people facing the same challenge.
So, if you do have one or more long term conditions
- Decide you are going to keep your own health record and carry a summary of your medication with you wherever you go.
- Use the Oxford Longevity Project long-term plan to modify your fitness objectives and decide how you are going to cope well with the condition or conditions that have developed.
- Prepare for every consultation, making a list of questions you would like to ask, and record the consultation so that you can remember and reflect on what was discussed
- Join the community of people like you with the same condition which may be a national organisation like one of the big disease charities, like Diabetes UK or maybe a local organisation, perhaps itself partnered with a national organisation.
- Check with the doctor, GP or specialist, and increase the amount of exercise youtake
- Review your own condition once a year, perhaps the week before your birthday and almost always identify the things that you can do better to adapt to the disease, usually increasing the amount of physical activity that you take; fitness becomes even more important after the onset of disease than before.
Points for Reflection after listening and reading; if you are working through these podcasts with a group ask people to turn to their neighbour and discuss these points or allocate them to a Zoom room if you are online
- How well do you prepare for consultations and how well do take action to remember all that was said ?
- How well have you gathered information about your condition or conditions form the Internet or from any national Charity committed to supporting people with a certain condition?
Prepare a list of all the drugs you are taking for your wallet or handbag and open a file, in a filing cabinet or on your computer, which is going to be the place where you create your own Patient record. Also put some actions in the box on line three of the Oxford Longevity Plan. The box on the right is for you to record actions like you have joined the Charity that is specifically designed for people with your condition