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Managing Chronic Disease

Help from Our Population Health Department

If you or someone you love is living with a chronic disease, it is important to understand how to manage and successfully cope with this condition. Education is key. We are committed to providing care and education to patients with complex health issues and their families to help them effectively manage their conditions.

What Is a Chronic Disease?

A chronic disease is a long-lasting condition that impacts your life and hinders your activities. These conditions can be controlled and treated but sometimes may not be curable. According to the Centers for Disease Control, chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability nationwide.

Some examples of chronic conditions include:

  • Allergies
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Asthma
  • Breast cancer
  • Epilepsy
  • Glaucoma
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Migraine headaches
  • Back pain
  • Heart disease
  • Obesity

Managing Chronic Diseases

It’s important that you feel empowered to control your illness. Access to the right tools and resources can help in:

  • Learning methods of communication with your family members, friends, and healthcare providers so you can express your needs and experiences clearly and get the help you want
  • Managing common emotions over the course of an illness, including frustration, isolation, exhaustion, and stress
  • Making nutrition and exercise choices that are right for you and help you live your best life
  • Learning new methods that help you make life easier
  • Taking medications appropriately
  • Evaluating healthcare and treatment options

Living Well Workshops Provided By Our Hospital

At Atlantic General Hospital, we partner with MAC (Maintaining Active Citizens) to regularly host Living Well workshops for individuals suffering from chronic diseases, as well as their caregivers. These chronic disease self-management programs are modeled after programs from the Stanford School of Medicine, and they are led by two specially trained leaders.

To register or to learn more about the benefits of attending a Living Well workshop, contact MAC at (410) 742-0505.

Living Well Chronic Pain Self-Management Workshop
Do you have pain that last more than 3-6 months, varies in intensity, affects one or more areas, has no common cure and creates chronic stress? If you answered “yes” to 2 or more of these symptoms, you will benefit from this workshop. It will give you tools to help you lead a life where your symptoms are better managed. This is a FREE 6-week (2 1/2 hours per week) interactive program.

Stepping On Falls Prevention Workshop
This is a FREE 7-week workshop that teaches strategies for staying safe in your home and in the community.

Living Healthy with Hypertension
For people with high blood pressure who want to learn how to better manage the condition. Information about lifestyle, medications and knowing your numbers. This is a one-time 2 1/2 hour workshop.

Living Well Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshop
A FREE 6-week workshop on how to manage chronic conditions to help you live a better life. This program covers problems from chronic conditions such as pain, fatigue, medication-management, depression, treatment decisions and working with your healthcare provider.

Diabetes Self-Management Workshop
A FREE 6-week self-management workshop on how to live better with diabetes. Topics include meal planning, dealing with high and low blood sugar, counting carbs and necessary screening exams. 2 1/2 hours each week for 6 weeks.

NEW! Building Better Caregivers
Free 6 week workshop - Valuable training for caregivers experiencing behavior issues by their care partner or they are experiencing high levels of stress - caregivers of those with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), dementia such as Alzheimer’s, and any other conditions that affect memory. Classes are highly participatory, where mutual support and success build the participants’ confidence in their ability to manage their caregiving tasks and maintain a fulfilling life.

To learn more about any of these workshops, please contact Alyce Marzola at her Email Here or call (410) 641-9268.