#selfcare is #sustainable healthcare

Healthcare under pressure

All over the world healthcare services are feeling the pressure of a growing aging population and a rise in chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The ever increasing demand for services means more resources are needed from people to pharmaceuticals and all this comes at a price financially, environmentally and emotionally. To help reduce this demand we need to move towards a preventative model of care – keeping people well rather than fixing them when they get ill.

This is why we have wellbeing as one of the key seven elements for the delivery of sustainable healthcare within our Care Without Carbon model.

We’ve developed a selection of small pledges, which we call dares, to help you build some wellbeing activity into your week. You can make your pledges here.

Everyone can do something

While healthcare organisations are starting to do more to help people find their healthy, there is lots that people can do for themselves too.

Building more movement into your day is a great place to start. Just 10 minutes of brisk walking a couple of times a day can really improve physical health.  Try walking to work, or getting off the bus a stop earlier to increase the opportunities to move more.  It will also release feel-good endorphins to improve your mood, plus if you ditch the car to walk more you’ll be improving local air pollution too.

Making the right food choices is another brilliant way to boost health in mind and body. Less meat, more veg is an easy win that is as kind to the environment as it is to your body. Try some of these fabulous lunch ideas.

Moderation in all things is an old adage that has real value. Treats like a glass of wine, a cold beer or a bar of chocolate can make us feel good, but indulging too often can have a negative impact on our wellbeing.

Take the time to share how you’re feeling whether that is with a loved one, a trusted colleague or a professional. Stress is a factor in all our lives but recognizing when it gets too much and tackling it early can help to reduce its impact on our health.

The Self Care Forum, an online resource for doctors and patients, defines self-care as: “The actions that individuals take for themselves… to develop, protect, maintain and improve their health, wellbeing or wellness.”

If you want to find out more…

Here are some links to interesting reads about the value of self-care for our healthcare organisations in the future…

This is a very factual piece with a comprehensive look at the value of self-care.

The Royal College of Nursing offer some insight into what we mean when we talk about self-care.

Could we create a self-care revolution?