I hate being told what to do and usually I will do the opposite. So where on earth did I get the belief that I know what is right and that I must make sure I tell everyone what to do to stay healthy?
Why doesn’t telling people what to do work?
Supported self-management for people with frailty
The first section of this supplement made the case to consider frailty from the perspective of a long-term condition. This and the next section explore what this means in terms of applying some of the well-developed models for the care of longterm conditions to people who are living with frailty. First, we examine how the highly evidence-based model of supported self-management might be applied to frailty.
Helping patients with swallowing problems after a stroke
Swallowing really is a life or death matter. Nearly half of people who have had a stroke will initially experience difficulty swallowing. This is called dysphagia. In this article, we look at the anatomy and physiology of swallowing, what can go wrong in people who have had a stroke, and what can help. Explanations are given clearly, using simple language that you can use with patients and their family members.
How to Use Brief Motivational Interviewing
Helping people to change risky behaviour is notoriously difficult, but brief motivational interviewing has been found to be helpful. In this article, we look at the research supporting this patient-directed counselling style and how to use it in clinical practice.
Practical approaches to empowering people with cardiovascular disease or diabetes
For people with long-term conditions, self-care can have as much, if not more, influence on their health than prescribed medication and treatment. Yet, in many cases, healthcare professionals become frustrated when attempts to improve peoples’ self-care behaviours prove unsuccessful. This article looks at some of the reasons why it can be difficult to encourage people with diabetes or cardiovascular disease to look after themselves effectively; what types of practice can help us to increase people’s success in managing long-term conditions; and how we can incorporate empowering techniques in our day-to-day consultations.
