Unit 2: Strategies for Supporting Others USC8.1 – Analyze and establish effective strategies of support for purposes of helping others increase health-enhancing behaviours USC8.3– Investigate and analyze the impact of in/formal supports and services available to individuals, families, and communities infected with/affected by non-curable infections/diseases DM8.8 – Appraise the role of “support” in making healthy decisions related to non-curable infections/diseases DM8.9 – Analyze health opportunities and challenges to establish “support others” personal goal statements related to non-curable infections/diseases

Lesson 1: Sources of Support Strategies Questions to Consider What are the four dimensions of health? What are 5 strategies that we can support others? How can we locate reliable sources to help us support others?

Terms Health Dimensions: The four parts of your health that make up YOU. Physical Health: The operations of the body Emotional Health: Feelings, attitudes, etc Mental Health: Our mind and our thoughts Spiritual Health: Our values, beliefs and commitments (does not necessarily mean religion) Environment: The area we live in and people we surround ourselves with also affect our health. For example, if we live in northern Saskatchewan where its dark for most part of the day during the winter, our emotional and mental health would be affected differently than living in Rosetown.

Wellness Wheel The wellness wheel provides a visual representation of the concept of wellness that demonstrates the need for "balanced" or ''well-rounded'' lives Imagine the wellness wheel as a tire made up of four separate air chambers - each one representing a dimension of wellness. If one or more of these air chambers is either over-inflated or under-inflated, the wheel will be unbalanced and the road of life will be a bumpy one. We roll along through life more smoothly when our lives are "well-rounded" or balanced

Support Strategies Listening: Hearing someone’s issues Encouraging: Giving someone courage, confidence and hope Caring: Feeling and showing genuine concern for others Helping: Giving assistance Sharing: Relating with resources or personal experiences

Criteria for Finding a Reliable Source Author: a recognized expert in the area Example: TSN’s Bob McKenzie is an expert in Hockey Source: Shares facts not opinions. Date: Information is current. Has been updated within the last 5 years.

Sources for Support Assignment

Lesson 2: Past and Present Supports Questions to Consider How did people support each other’s health in the past, before technology? How do people for other cultures support each other?

Example of Different Cultures Chinese medicine is a tradition, which treats the person as a whole using acupuncture, acupressure, and Chinese herbs. Dietary therapy, traditional herbal medicine, Western medicine and supernatural healing may also be used. Clients may be reluctant to reveal to their health care provider that they have been using alternative treatments. Many Chinese people will assume a "sick role" when they are ill where they depend heavily on others. If a healthcare provider seems demanding they may be viewed as uncaring by the Chinese patient. One way to seem caring, and still illicit the response desired, is to stand close to the patient, speak sympathetically, take an interest in the patient, and verbally encourage them. The use of hospitals and health care professionals is very low in the Chinese culture. When healthcare is sought, a doctor of the same sex is preferred, especially by women. Most Chinese people will expect to be given a prescription when they go to the doctor so going to the doctor when they are not sick might be considered strange. Remember their cultural norms of lack of eye contact, shyness, and passivity. Due to the cultural norm of shyness, the Chinese will be reluctant to talk to an outsider about their health and psychosocial problems. Many Chinese believe that saying No is impolite so you should not mistake silence as agreement. Sometimes when a healtcare provider is assertive it may be interpreted as aggressive or hostile behavior.

Health Care in our Past Think about how your great grandparents grew up as pioneers of Saskatchewan. They relied on help of their neightbours and friends. Doctor’s could be called, but often would not be able to make it to the patients place for a long time.

Lesson 3: Being an Effective Support Person Questions to Consider: How can you be an effective support person? What personal qualities and skills make me an effective support person When might you need to use these skills and qualities?

Support Strategies Handout

Lesson 4: Supporting Independence Questions to Consider What is learned dependence? What is empowerment? How can I support someone to be empowered and discourage them from learned dependence?

Terms Learned Dependence: Only depending on others to support Health Empowerment: using positive support strategies (the 5 support strategies) to help others support their own health independently “Helping others help themselves”

Situation Think about this situation. Now that you know what Learned Dependence and Empowerment are, what would you do? Sarah is very upset with Elaine because Sarah heard Elaine say something mean about her. Sarah is very emotional and begging you to talk to Elaine and straighten it out. You’re really concerned about how emotional she is. What do you do?

Think about It… Many of us naturally want to help others. If someone is hurt, we put a bandage on. If someone drops something we pick it up for them. We hold doors open for others. However, as we get older and the people we are supporting get older we need to “help others help themselves”. We will not always be there to solve everyone’s problems. If the people we support always rely on us we say that they have learned to depend on us. This is a real disadvantage to them if they are in a situation when we aren’t there. If we can use our support strategies to teach others to depend on themselves, we are empowering them. We are supplying them with the “tools” to help themselves. That is a gift they can use throughout their lives!

Lesson 5: Non Curable Infections/Diseases