How Health and Wellness Coaches Help Patients in Recovery

Apr 27, 2021 AWAKEN

https://www.biotronik.com/es-es/patients/daily-life/rehabilitation

In a world full of health threats, the typical healthcare providers we have known over the years have had to evolve.

Nurses, doctors, nutritionists and other medical professionals are no longer contained simply in their titles, they now pursue other skills including health and wellness coaching.

This is in recognition of the value of health and wellness coaches specifically in the recovery process of millions of people each year.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half a million people in the United States alone have been diagnosed with a chronic disease. In fact, 6 in 10 suffer from at least one chronic disease, such as diabetes and heart disease.

The sad part of this statistic is that most chronic diseases can be prevented or easily controlled by addressing risk factors such as diet and lifestyle approaches.

As more people adopt the lifestyle.

As more people adopt the sedentary and carefree lifestyle that includes indulging in junk food, lying on the couch all day watching Netflix and no physical activities, the demand for health and wellness coaches continues to increase exponentially not only for for healthy people to avoid developing conditions that are direct consequences of their lifestyle choices, but to provide assistance to those who are recovering from or in the process of managing their chronic medical illness.

So how do health and wellness coaches help patients successfully recover from these illnesses?

Here are some ways that health and wellness coaches do for your long-term health.

The key strength of health coaching lies in the partnership and type of relationship that is formed between the coach and clients. With this primary requirement met, clients and patients become more confident in adopting self-care skills and paving their own path to personal healing.

Health and wellness coaches provide guidance and guide clients in pursuing their personal health goals by presenting key information and resources, disease-specific knowledge and skills, and healthy behaviors.

In the process of setting health goals, people often provide general and rather vague goals, but health coaches are trained to narrow these goals down to achievable goals that fit the body's needs.

They also guide clients to prioritize goals, breaking them down into practical steps that work best for the client in terms of progress and completion.

Eliminating unhealthy behavior

The very essence of successful recovery is the ability to completely eliminate the harmful habits and behaviors that led to the development of chronic illness in the first place.

While doctors, nutritionists and other medical professionals can treat and recommend nutritional eating plans to immediately correct irregularities in glucose, blood pressure or cholesterol levels, if change in behavior or habits is not warranted, it is less good health is likely to be restored.

Health and wellness coaches are in a unique position compared to doctors and nurses as they continue and strengthen their connection with the patient even after hospitalization. They actively extend care outside the medical center and integrate into the patient's life.

This continuity requires the establishment of a good relationship and constant availability for coaching and follow-up to ensure that the patient is truly on the right path to recovery and self-management.

Empower the patient during recovery

According to a study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, emotional well-being is a crucial component for the recovery and survival of patients diagnosed with physical illnesses.

Medical researchers have long emphasized the strong link between mind and body, especially when health is compromised. Through this premise, health and wellness coaches take on the role of motivational advisors and offer emotional support through positive psychology and other effective approaches to patients recovering from a chronic illness.

They help patients develop the right mindset and mental attitude and teach them coping mechanisms for their illness.

They also guide patients to discover emotional issues that influence their lifestyle choices and guide them to address these issues through a healthier alternative.

But the most important of all these strategies and techniques is the sheer interest and involvement of health and wellness coaches in the patient's recovery experience.

Creating a bridge between patient and doctor

The role of a doctor is undeniably critical in the healing process, but often falls away in the later steps of complete recovery. They prescribe medications to patients that could alleviate the effects of the disease, but have no control over whether the patient will take the medication or not.

The same case can apply to nurses and nutritionists. Registered dietitians may be able to recommend the best meal plan to help you achieve optimal health, but at the end of the day, it's still up to you whether you stick to the recommendation given.

This gap between patient and doctor, especially outside the four walls of the clinic or hospital, often becomes a devious window for old habits to creep in and virtually destroy the efforts of healthcare providers. Fortunately, this is where health and wellness coaches come in.

Doctors provide the right medicine and health coaches make sure that patients receive them religiously. They also closely monitor how patients are strictly following the recommendations given for their recovery.

Health coaches continually make a significant difference in the lives of people from all walks of life. Healthcare professionals, such as nurses and doctors, benefit from becoming health and wellness coaches as they extend their services outside of the clinic and into their patients' real lives.