Fall (Volume 28, Number 3)

New Arthritis Society Resource Helps Patients Become Empowered Self-Advocates

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Effectively managing the symptoms of arthritis and their impact on your life can be a challenge for many patients. Learning to advocate for yourself and your needs is an essential skill for people who want to manage the disease and live their best possible life.

This September, as part of Arthritis Awareness Month, the Arthritis Society helped to address this need by releasing a new patient tool, the Self-Advocacy Guide, an exciting set of resources for people living with arthritis.

The Arthritis Society’s Self-Advocacy Guide provides information and strategies to help patients become empowered advocates for their health-care needs, or for the needs of others who may be living with arthritis.

The guide is divided into three parts, each covering different but related aspects of self advocacy:

PART 1: Taking an active role in your treatment planning
Learn about your condition, communicate with your health-care team and make informed decisions about your health-care needs

PART 2: Understanding your coverage options
Learn about the different sources of coverage for health-care costs, and how to navigate them to get the support you need

PART 3: Advocating for change
Learn how our health-care system works, and how your voice can help influence policies that affect you and other patients

Encourage your patients to check out the guide at arthritis.ca/selfadvocacy, and start their journey towards becoming an empowered self-advocate for their health care needs.