What is self-management?
Personality disorder integrated care pathway
“Self management is a person-centred approach in which the individual is empowered and has ownership over the management of their life and conditions. The role of health and social care professionals, services and treatment is to support the person’s journey towards living well in the presence or absence of symptoms.” (Gaun Yersel, 2008)
Self-management is sometimes confused with self-care. Although the two concepts are related, self-care can usefully be thought about as the typical tasks of living each person completes on an everyday basis. The ability to carry out these tasks of daily living is often compromised for a person living with a long term condition. In contrast, self-management describes the process a person develops to manage their health conditions.
The components of effective self-management for someone with a long-term condition will vary from person to person but will often include:
• Development of knowledge and understanding of the condition and its management.
• Actively sharing in decision-making with health professionals, significant social network members and other supporters.
• Monitoring signs and symptoms of the condition.
• Managing the impact of the condition on physical, emotional, occupational and social functioning.
• Addressing risk factors for the condition.
• Promoting health by focusing on prevention and early intervention.
• Adopting a self-management care plan (for example a Wellness Recovery Action Plan or similar) agreed and negotiated in partnership with health professionals, significant social network members and other supporters.
• Having access to and the ability to confidently use support services and mainstream community resources.
• Actively sharing in decision-making with health professionals, significant social network members and other supporters.
• Monitoring signs and symptoms of the condition.
• Managing the impact of the condition on physical, emotional, occupational and social functioning.
• Addressing risk factors for the condition.
• Promoting health by focusing on prevention and early intervention.
• Adopting a self-management care plan (for example a Wellness Recovery Action Plan or similar) agreed and negotiated in partnership with health professionals, significant social network members and other supporters.
• Having access to and the ability to confidently use support services and mainstream community resources.