Self Care Week targets 22 million people

With Self Care Week launching under the banner of ‘Choose Self Care for Life’, more than 22 million people are being targeted to better look after their own health.

More than 22 million people are being targeted as part of the Self Care Forum’s Self Care Week, with the campaign seeking to raise awareness of the huge benefits of people looking after themselves better, whether that be self-treatable conditions, long term conditions, or lifestyle choices to ensure better physical health and mental well-being.

The key messages of the campaign include: how people can better look after their own physical health and mental well-being as well as that of their family; encouraging people to take action for both themselves and others to develop, protect, maintain and improve their health, well-being or wellness; and understanding how to use health services; where to access services for particular symptoms and a reminder about the role of the pharmacist in offering fast convenient health and well-being advice.

Professor Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: “Last year Self Care Week reached more than 22 million people via more than 300 organisations who participated, ranging from the traditional health organisations to schools, universities, businesses, gyms and parks. This year we hope to reach even more people.

“Self care is vitally important, not least of all as we go into winter when looking after ourselves and keeping healthy is so important. We want to raise awareness and provide information and advice so people can manage their own health needs where possible. This will also support nurses, doctors and other health care professionals to care for those who really need their skill and expertise.”

Pete Smith, co-chair of Self Care Forum, said: “Our aim is to further the reach of self care and embed it into everyone’s everyday life making it a life-long habit and culture.  We want people to instinctively understand how to look after their own physical health and mental wellbeing. Self care is nothing less than actions to lead to a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life. People practice self care every day when we brush our teeth, choose to exercise or eat healthily, this is self care.  However, self care is also understanding how to self-treat common ailments, manage long term conditions and avoid preventable illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.”

Selwyn Hodge, Self Care Forum co-chair, added: “All parents hope that their children will enjoy lifelong good health.  However, apart from the nurturing they provide to them as babies, parents now generally do too little to help their children learn to care effectively for their future health and wellbeing.

“More needs to be done, therefore, to help parents to choose a self care for life approach with their children.  Since self care is dependent on good levels of health literacy, one way of tackling this would be for schools and community centres to organise locally based family health literacy sessions with the help of health professionals.”