HEALTH SUPPORT: A REVIEW

Leslie Patterson

Health Support

Health Support

VeteranPost

FamilyFriends

PeerLeader

Four Types of SupportWhile support includes emotional caring, it’smore than that. Think of support as if youwere an architect. It includes the foundation,the beams and pillars that enable something

tostand strong.

1. Sharing information2. Giving feedback on performance3. “Hands-on” help4. Emotional caring

Support Team

Family members and friends are often better at giving support than doctors because:1.They see you more often than your doctor. 2.You have developed a deep relationship with them.3.They can encourage you more.

Discussion Questions

“Who do you offer support to?”

“Who supports you?”

Important Tips

1. Consider ways to use and monitor all types of support.

2. Identify the people in your life that you can support and that will, in return, support you.

3. Some people will not want support, period.

Be a “Health Buddy”-1

• A “Health Buddy” is someone who helps a friend or family member manage his/her health

• May not need right now, but is a way of preparing for when you do

• POWER posts will participate in the “Health Buddy” program

Be a “Health Buddy”-2

Three Components:1. Each post member will select

a Health Buddy2. Each person will select a

behavior/action that they will help their health buddy with

3. Each person will select a behavior/action that their healthy buddy will help them with

Be a “Health Buddy”-3

• You and your health buddy will fill out a contract that you will send to the VA

• Cash prizes will be awarded to the posts that have the greatest percentage of their members return the contract!

Let’s go through the “Health

Buddy”Folder