Chronic illness is a broad term that includes any condition that lasts for more than six months. It can be difficult because the symptoms can vary from person to person, although usually there will be mild periods during which the person may not experience any symptoms at all.
Many people who are diagnosed with a chronic illness feel like their life is over. They wonder if there is any sense in living anymore, but the truth is that life goes on and these people have to learn how to adapt to this new way of life.
The following tips are brought to you by Smart Strategies for Successful Living.
Financial Concerns With Chronic Illness
Chronic illnesses are becoming more prevalent in the United States. One in every three Americans will be diagnosed with one at some point in their life. These illnesses include diabetes, heart disease, cancer, asthma, and depression, just to name a few. There are many ways people handle their chronic illness that can lead to financial stress, which contributes to more health problems like heart disease and stroke. With no insurance or enough resources from your job, it can be difficult for people who have chronic illnesses to cover their expenses.
Consider working a side gig that you can do when your illness is in remission or you’re not having enough symptoms to keep you in bed. These can be jobs like pet sitting, online tutoring, music or painting lessons, or making crafts to sell online or at farmer’s markets. Be sure and do your due diligence first, though, like obtaining the necessary license and permits.
Getting Support
When you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness, you may feel like you’re afraid everyone will leave because they don’t understand what you are going through. That seems like an irrational thought, but the truth is that many people do have reactions like that when they first get diagnosed. It can be uncomfortable and lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. But there are plenty of resources out there to help connect and support those living with a chronic illness.
Not only does the person suffering from chronic illness need support, but their families do as well. In a tangible sense, having a parent, sibling, child, or spouse with a chronic illness takes a toll on family members’ time, money, and energy. Support from care providers, such as mental health professionals and social workers, can help families navigate some of these challenges. Look for community organizations, support groups, and other wellness programs that support patients and their families. There are also online support groups for those who may be house-bound a good deal of the time.
Managing Your Care
It’s vital for you to manage your own care, so be sure to keep your medical files and documents organized. If you need to share files with doctors, family, and caregivers, PDFs are often the preferred format over Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Use a tool to convert PDFs by simply dragging and dropping the file into the tool.
Make sure you have a list of people who your doctors and labs can notify with current phone numbers and addresses.
It’s wise to also have an Advanced Healthcare Directive or Living Will as well as a designated family member to assume power of attorney over your finances.
Stress Relief
Reducing stress is critical to reducing the intensity and frequency of symptoms from chronic illness. Practices like meditation, yoga, and Tai Chi all bring focus on reducing stress, which also reduces blood pressure and the strain that puts on our bodies.
You can find classes online both in group and private instruction as well as pre-recorded instructional videos on YouTube.
Accepting your chronic illness is an important step in your recovery process. It allows you leeway to focus on yourself rather than on what is happening around you. It also enables you more time with friends and family. The diagnosis can be shocking to hear, but after time, you can learn how to both accept and manage it with a little help from your friends and family.
Written by: Annabelle Harris
Annabelle Harris is the creator of Elders.Center. Her goal is to help soon-to-be-seniors and already-seniors move gracefully into their golden years with less fear and more confidence.