Using Skills for Self-Care: from Dec.07 report

Do self-help groups use the knowledge and skills they learn for their own care? Are persons actually using the newly learnt skills? What factors help people to be more active in their own care? Are there any areas in which persons require more support from health care professionals? How can you encourage people to use the newly acquired knowledge and skills in their self-care?

In the meeting held in Rome in December 2007, the group reached the following conclusions:

1. Learning about self care does not mean that these newly acquired skills will be authomatically used in by the persons. The skills may be used some times. These skills do not substitute the role of health care services.

2. Some times skills may be related to other resources that may not be available and for these need, persons continue to look for support from health care services.

3. Skills of self care as well as the whole process of coming together as a group can lead to empowerment, in terms of greater awareness of rights, about issues affecting persons’ lives and for collective action to fight against barriers and to find answers to unmet needs.

4. Forming a group for self-care focusing on health needs can be a starting point for looking at other areas and needs of persons’ lives. There may be need to network with other similar groups at local, national, regional and international level. Networking with persons and organisations of persons with other kinds of disabilities or chronic conditions is also required.