Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshops
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a chronic medical condition?
A chronic medical condition is one that you must learn to live with for many years. Chronic medical conditions may cause you to lose physical conditioning and suffer problems over time. Some examples of chronic conditions are emphysema, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, migraine headache, and
fibromyalgia.
In contrast, acute illnesses are short-lived, and with prompt, effective treatment you can return to normal health quickly. Examples of acute illnesses are pneumonia, appendicitis, and influenza.
Why take a course about chronic medical conditions?
Although there are many chronic conditions, the problems and symptoms associated with each one are often similar. A healthy way to live with a chronic condition is to work at overcoming the symptoms.
Who should take this course?
The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program is for anyone who has one or more chronic conditions. A caregiver or relative is welcome to attend the course with you. They too will benefit from the problem-solving skills related to managing a chronic condition.
What is
the cost to participate in the program?
If you are a
PacificSource member, the CDSM program cost will be reimbursed up to $25. Please
fill out our reimbursement
form to request reimbursement. (The cost of the text,
Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, is not
reimbursable.)
How does the program work?
The CDSM workshops run for two hours, once a week for six weeks. The CDSM group is led by two trained facilitators who help direct group discussions about managing chronic conditions. The book Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions provides a starting point for many of these discussions and provides you with new techniques you can immediately use to deal with your own symptoms and manage your own health and medical treatment.
The group discussions in this course will cover:
-
Symptom management
-
Nutrition and exercise
-
Communication skills
-
Relaxation techniques
-
Medication usage
-
Self-management and the individual
-
Goal-setting and problem solving
For more information, click one of the links below or call the PacificSource Health Management Team at (888) 691-8209.
Unless otherwise stated, all text and images © 2006 PacificSource. All rights reserved.