Parkinson's: Self Care Self-Efficacy

 

Snarky Parky & me

A Journey Into Parkinson's with Nancy Mellon

Coordinated by Corrine Bayraktaroglu

 Self Care Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy is the belief we have in our own abilities, specifically our ability to meet the challenges ahead of us

I felt bad after writing my last post to everybody.  It felt so negative.  The last couple of weeks, had been such a whirlwind of outcomes that I didn't want and that I believed that I couldn't do anything about. 

Negative Nancy is not who I want to be.  Or what I want to spread to others.  I grew up devouring “The Power Of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. It helped me through some very rough patches in my life: when I was 16 and my beloved dad died; when I was 21 and having panic attacks; and when I wanted to make changes in my life but couldn't see how I could.

Corrine, who really hates toxic positivity,  said my post was authentic.  Yes it was, but, as my friend Eileen told me she has been taught to think:  “Is it a useful thought?”

Last week, I got an e mail from the Davis Phinney Parkinson's Foundation.  If you haven't checked them out,  they are a wonderful organization with many free tools for living well with Parkinson's.  This e mail told about a great new program that they have purchased.  It is called PD Self.  It is an online, program created by a woman who has Parkinson's.  She created it from a scientifically-based process for enhancing self-efficacy  developed by a psychologist,  Dr. Albert Bandura.

And it is Free! Both you and a care partner can do the program.

The program teaches you about Self Care self efficacy, you and your care partner learn about it and why it is important for your mental and physical health.  And you get to practice ways to grow your self efficacy.

Even though I was disappointed, I think it was probably a good thing that the program is filled for this session. I need to finish my Harmonica class and my Cleveland  Clinic Go! To Sleep class.  I have put everything I normally do, on hold while I am recuperating.  But I started my neuro PT sessions and my Cardio Rehab sessions this week.  I just started back up my online PD choir. Oh, Boy, that already sounds like way too many spoons!   But what  about  Boxing  and  PD Dance? I may need to stop them while I do the cardio rehab and the neuro rehab.

There are 35 cohorts in each PD Self session.  I think the group meets every other month for discussion.

“Self-efficacy causes behavioral changes that can make a big difference when it comes to living well with Parkinson’s.”

“Self-care self-efficacy is associated with positive outcomes for mental and physical health for people with chronic illnesses. It has also been shown to positively affect anxiety, coping strategies, depression, decision-making, stress, energy expenditure, and resilience because people with better self-care self-efficacy have better outcomes. They also have a higher quality of life, better physical function, lower symptom distress, and higher goal achievement than people with lower self-care self-efficacy.”

 

“A strong social support system has also been shown to be related to higher levels of self-efficacy, so for both people with Parkinson’s and care partners, a strong care team and social network is essential to better outcomes.”   All the quotes are from papers that the Davis Phinney Foundation had links to on their web site page for the new PD Self

course.

So how can we increase our self-efficacy?

5 WAYS TO INCREASE SELF-EFFICACY

#1 – WORK IN YOUR ZPD. (ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT )

“The ZPD refers to the difference between what you can do without help and what you can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner. To improve your self-efficacy, you want to feel stretched enough in what you’re doing that you’re being challenged but not so stretched that you can’t accomplish your goal. Being in your ZPD will require you to take some chances, but they aren’t so risky that you’re likely to fail. In other words, your ZPD is your sweet spot.”

#2 – SET SIMPLE GOALS

“Self-efficacy increases when we make promises to ourselves and others that we keep. If you set unreasonable goals, you are more likely to fall short and destroy the trust you had in yourself. If you set reasonable goals (those that require you to be in your ZPD) that you can chip away at one by one, you will build up a reservoir of accomplishments that will increase your belief in yourself.”

#3 – THINK LONG TERM

“Parkinson’s is a marathon and not a sprint. If you made a promise to yourself about a behavioral change you wanted to make, but last week you felt more tired or more OFF than usual, and you didn’t accomplish your daily/weekly goals, remember to keep the big picture in mind. Don’t let short-term losses derail your living well plan. Tomorrow is a new day. Improving self-efficacy involves the accumulation of successes, goals achieved, and promises kept over time. “

#4 – REFRAME THE STORY

“One of the most potent psychological tools people with high self-efficacy have is the ability to reframe obstacles and setbacks into something positive.”

#5 – FIND A MODEL

“If you’re struggling to reach goals you’ve set for yourself, look to others for inspiration. Watch someone like you adopt a new behavior, transform a belief, or accomplish a big goal.  This isn’t about comparison. It’s about borrowing strength and belief from others “

 

“Self-care self-efficacy is associated with positive outcomes for mental and physical health for people with chronic illnesses. It positively affects anxiety, coping strategies, depression, decision-making, stress, energy expenditure, and resilience because people with better self-care self-efficacy have better outcomes. They also have a higher quality of life,”

 

The PD Self program:

1. The first step is to set a series of ever more difficult goals; the accomplishment of each enhances the belief that we can achieve the next. This creates an experience of mastery, which is the foundation of a strong sense of self-belief.

2. The second step is to identify a model to which we aspire, such as one or more people living with Parkinson’s who are managing their Parkinson’s well. Seeing others in a similar situation succeed through their own determined efforts raises the belief that we, too, can overcome the specific challenges we face.

3. The third step is to seek out positive reinforcement and encouragement, which strengthens our belief that we have what it takes to succeed.

 

This approach is being used in the PD SELF programs.

I think the PD Self program must be in my future.

Maybe in yours too?

 

Cheers,

Nancy & the Snark

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Footnotes from Corrine: I think Eileen's question is a vital one. Negative thoughts can only be useful if they empower us  or drive us towards solutions and  positive change. So for me finding that balance is the key. Knowing you Nancy I didn't doubt that out of your moment of negativity you would find a path to do something about it :) This Self Efficacy program sounds like it came along at just the RIGHT time and really wonderful. If only I could send extra SPOONS.