Lifestyle choices can have a huge impact on the length and quality of life of people with a long-term psychiatric condition. How can we motivate a patient to make concrete lifestyle choices and changes themselves?
Develop a visual and scalable conversation tool for patients with a long-term psychiatric condition and their healthcare providers. A tool that helps to make joint decisions about (new) lifestyle choices in an equal and efficient way.
The lifestyle choices that are necessary for a longer and higher quality life are often difficult for long-term psychiatric people, whose stress and tension are already very high. The balance of power between doctors and patients further complicates change. Patients find it difficult to be honest about what is achievable and what fits into their lives. Traditional tools, such as a running app, are often too ambitious.
A canvas where the patient, together with the counselor, can take control of their lifestyle choices. The tool provides the patient with concrete steps that fit into their lives. This focuses on feasibility and the ability to take control and responsibility yourself. More equality in the interaction between patient and doctor is achieved because the canvas - which is based on the patient's life - is leading, not the doctor or counselor.
With the Deciding Together tool, the patient and counselor come to a concrete and feasible plan in 3 steps to improve lifestyle choices. In step one, they look at the Deciding Together canvas together and, using seven different lifestyle domains (connection, sleep, nutrition, exercise, substance use, meaning and relaxation), they fill in where the patient stands and what the patient would like to work on. In step two, one or two domains will be chosen to continue working on. For each domain, it is noted what the patient is already doing, what they would like to do, what could help, what any obstacles are and what the goal is. In the last step, you choose one challenge to work on and determine the small and concrete steps for the next four weeks in the progress calendar. This is how a small intervention can have a big effect.
