Compliance is one of the most common issues for Cystic Fibrosis patients and caregivers because treatments can seem monotonous and time consuming. Most cf patients are required to do multiple treatments per day and it can be uncomfortable or difficult. Nebulizers and vest systems can be loud and it can be annoying staying tethered to a machine. The vest can become itchy and nebulizer treatments can seem long. It's difficult to devote a few hours a day to something when you don't always see or feel the results.
I've always struggled with compliance, primarily for the reasons above. It's easy to make excuses or blame missing treatments on something else other than taking responsibility, which only makes it easier to blow off treatments. Eventually it becomes a cycle and ultimately it catches up and lung function suffers.
While it's easier to miss treatments and let it catch up to you, that ends up hurting more than helping in the end. While I also think compliance is extremely important I think that a balance of both is important. Along the way I've noticed some things that help me finish more treatments and do a better job of taking care of myself, while still being able to enjoy life. Below are some common sense ideas but hopefully there's something you haven't heard of that you might find beneficial.
- Closed Captioning
- Make A Schedule & Model It After Hospital Routines For Easier Transitions
- Make Goals & Write Them Out
- Get Into A Routine
- Use Device Time As Reward During Treatments
- Exercise
- Hit Treatments & Exercise Harder As Soon As You Start To Feel Sick
- Reward Progress.
- Preparation (A DIFFERENT TASK EVERY DAY!)
- Find Decorative Organization
- Write Down Progress & Visualize Patterns
Let me know if you have any tips or ideas on how you increase compliance or make having cf easier.
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