The University of Victoria Centre on Aging is looking to get the word out about its self-management programs.
Self-Management BC is a provincial health ministry Patients as Partners initiative administered by UVic.
"We provide health education programs for people who have chronic health conditions," says UVic professor Patrick McGowan during an interview at the Centre on Aging's Ladner office.
The free programs are delivered across the province. Locally, a diabetes program is set to begin Oct. 1 at the McKee Seniors' Recreation Centre in Ladner. A chronic pain program is scheduled to start Nov. 6, also at McKee.
"When people have chronic health conditions, just giving them information on how to manage doesn't work," says McGowan.
"Instead of just giving people information, we teach them skills. Like how to get started skills, how to problem solve skills, how to make decisions, when to call, how to find community resources, those important things."
The "best practice evidencebased programs" are very effective, he says.
There are five different types of programs: Chronic Disease, Chronic Pain, Diabetes, Arthritis/Fibromyalgia and Active Choices.
Trained leaders deliver the programs to groups of 10 to 15 people once a week for six weeks in a row. People who have chronic conditions are recruited as leaders, adds McGowan.
Between April 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014, 65 leader-training workshops were conducted around the province, training 507 new program leaders, notes a UVic report. It also notes that leaders, in pairs, then delivered 247 programs to 3,190 people with chronic health conditions.
The University of Victoria Centre on Aging office in Ladner, which is home to over 20 staff, recently held an open house.
Having been in the community since 2002, the group went from having three offices in Ladner to now calling the historic Massey Marine building home.
"We wanted to be in one location," says McGowan. For more information, a list of upcoming programs, or to become a volunteer leader, visit www.selfmanagementbc.ca. Call 1-866-902-3767 toll free or 604-940-1273.
