Our Shared Agreement Foundation 5: Making the most of what we have available to us
Together we:
- Are honest about what is and isn’t available.
- Recognise our own strengths and opportunities.
- Recognise support starts with the individual, family and community.
- Actively support communities to best manage their health and wellbeing.
To see how Foundation 5 is being brought to glorious life in Lincolnshire, read the case studies and articles below:
Case study: Peter's story
I was self-employed and doing OK until my mid-40s when a diagnosis of diverticulitis blindsided me. Diverticulitis is an inflammation of the colon and causes cramps, diarrhoea and constipation and other not-very-nice symptoms!
It’s just an unpredictable and embarrassing condition. And when it really flares up, I get a fever and vomiting and I've had to go to A&E.
So, my life suddenly got quite small - I started working from home and stopped going out much. And I was becoming increasingly stressed and anxious, which in turn caused flare-ups.
I was now regularly visiting my GP not only for support to manage the diverticulitis but also for help with my stress and anxiety.
At one of my visits, my GP suggested the local Men’s Shed as something I might try. He’d started telling other patients about it and said it had helped them.
I wasn't sure, but I went along, and it's actually really helped. Just getting out, meeting new people, and talking about things has made a real difference.
Managing my stress and anxiety is a big part of keeping my condition under control and the Shed helps me with that, because I’m not worrying about my health when I’m concentrating on something else. It's a positive focus and a pressure valve at the same time.
I’ve only had a couple of mild flare-ups since I joined the Shed, which is incredible really, given how things were before.
It's given me some control back - over both my physical and mental health. I haven't needed to see my GP for a few months now.
