When people hear the words ‘chronic conditions’, people who are not familiar with the terms often think of the elderly. Yes, chronic conditions do exist in the elderly, but there has been an unprecedented rise in people of working age (18-65 years of age) in the UK with chronic conditions.
A chronic condition refers to any condition whereby there is no current cure. The conditions are mostly managed by a treatment plan which not exclusively, but often requires the use of long term medication and/or other therapies.
Everyone Claire has met and spoken to with a chronic condition whilst designing and developing Muddy Care has been someone of working age, the youngest being 21 years of age. Chronic conditions do not just exist in the elderly. Claire was a healthy 37-year-old when she first became sick. Many of the people Claire has interviewed were very young too when they first became sick, one being 17 years of age and she still lives with her chronic conditions 32 years later. In those 32 years of having chronic conditions, the lady has never woken up once and thought ‘I feel great today’. That statement to Claire illustrates very acutely the battle people with chronic conditions face and why Muddy Care is so important. Chronic conditions change lives immeasurably.
The range of chronic conditions are huge, from auto immune diseases (of which there are over 100 and around 80 have been identified but many have no ID), to chronic fatigue, significant mobility challenges, cardiac problems, kidney disease, liver disease, visual conditions, hearing challenges, brain injuries, spinal injuries, depression, bipolar and the list goes on.
Within the Muddy Care rehabilitation programme, the range of chronic conditions of the participants is truly as broad as it gets….chronic fatigue, acoustic neuroma, chronic pain, palsy, double vision, balance challenges, chronic fatigue, depression, trigeminal neuralgia, gall stones, migraines, chronic fatigue, opioid withdrawal, severe hearing loss, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, anorexia nervosa, chronic fatigue, kidney disease, chronic fatigue, heart conditions (including but not exclusively postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS)), chronic fatigue, auto immune diseases, joint hyper mobility, severe irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, bulging lower discs and deformed discs, chronic fatigue, blepharitis, psoriatic arthritis, Reynard’s phenomenon, fibromyalgia, anxiety, border line personality disorder, chronic fatigue and pelvic inflammatory disease.
The difference and the similarities are that although there is a huge range of different chronic conditions medically, the impacts physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually often have significant similarities irrelevant of the chronic condition. And that is where Muddy Care comes in.
Muddy Care fully appreciates the diversity and depth that impacts of chronic conditions has on lives. Muddy Care focuses on learning tools and mechanisms, management strategies, support structures and activities that will work towards enhancing your holistic health and wellbeing, specific to chronic conditions, to build the community that is Muddy Care.
Muddy Care also works collaboratively with a number of organisations that we will signpost you to if we feel they can help you too.
Muddy Care is a community that will make the present and futures of those with chronic conditions become just a little bit brighter and happier.
If you are aged between 18-65 years of age and have a chronic condition(s), please make an appointment. Complete the enquiry form below or contact Muddy Care using the link below.
A member of the education team will contact you within seven days of your enquiry.