Wellbeing for the Time Being Prepare yourself before your Elective Surgery Undergoing surgery can put demands on our bodies both physically and mentally. We know that making even small improvements to our health and wellbeing before surgery can help us cope with the surgery and improve recovery. This preparation ahead of surgery is known as prehabilitation, or prehab. Wellbeing for the Time Being is a prehab programme which has been designed to support patients across County Durham who are currently awaiting elective surgery. The programme promotes waiting well, and supports people while waiting for their surgery.
Why is Prehabilitation (Prehab) important? Prehab means getting ready for your surgery before it has happened. It supports you to prepare well, both mentally and physically through a structured programme that is tailored to your individual needs.
Mental Wellbeing
Physical Health
The evidence for prehab is continuing to grow. Patients and healthcare professionals alike are seeing real benefits from
preparing for surgery. Preparing yourself for surgery through exercise, nutrition and improving general wellbeing can: Improvement of treatment outcomes Ability to recover quicker Lesser complications and health and care resource utilisation Speed up your recovery (and return to work) Enhance your quality of life Promote your long term health and wellbeing, reducing the chance of hospital readmissions and/or further treatment surgery Most recent findings indicate, that even taking part in a few weeks of prehab sessions can make a difference to your health outcomes post treatment/surgery.
What can patients expect? The Wellbeing for the Time Being Programme has been tailored to support you in your journey by providing a support programme to suit your individual needs. The programme is designed to complement, not replace, other activities and treatments that you may already be involved with or receiving.
Each patients programme is unique to them During your initial health and wellbeing assessment you will answer a series of questions, which enables us to tailor a programme unique to you – your own individual prehab journey.
Your support programme could involve any of the following: Emotional support over the phone Attending a group physical activity session 1-2-1 physical activity sessions Virtual physical activity sessions Virtual educational sessions Advice on how to improve your diet Referrals to other partner organisations, i.e. stop smoking You don’t need to worry if you do not usually take part in regular physical activity/exercise. All of our staff are trained to provide you with the level of activity that is appropriate for you and are with you every step of the way. Your prehab journey will last approximately 8 sessions, although may be shorter depending on your surgery date. Please don’t worry if your prehab journey is shorter as most recent findings indicate that even taking part in a few weeks of prehab can make a difference to your health outcomes post-surgery.
Emotional Wellbeing Awaiting surgery can be very distressing and unsettling for you and your family and friends. It is normal to go through a period where you might experience uncertainty and worry about how you might cope following your surgery. Try to keep in mind that a big part of what you’re feeling during this time is a normal response to a very stressful life experience. Getting ready for surgery and focussing on your mental wellbeing before your surgery will:
Help you to feel prepared Help you manage the symptoms of anxiety or depression and reduce the risk of it getting worse There are a lot of services, organisations and apps that can support you in managing your mental and emotional wellbeing.
Physical Health Exercise and physical activity play an important role in maintaining a healthy body and mind. In addition to improving general fitness, being more physically active can also really help you to prepare for your surgery by: Improving physical resilience so that your body is better able to cope with the physiological stress of surgery or treatment Reducing the impact of treatment side effects such as fatigue Reducing the likelihood of surgical complications Research shows that you can improve your fitness and build muscle in as little as two weeks. So even if there is only a short time before your surgery, it is still beneficial to be more physically active. It will also help to improve your general fitness and wellbeing; positively influencing your quality of life. There are many resources available which can help you to achieve the goals that you set for yourself, such as: https://weareundefeatable.co.uk/ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well
Nutrition
Feelings of uncertainty and anxiety leading up to surgery can lead to a loss of appetite and weight or alternatively increased appetite and weight. Being underweight or overweight can affect how well you cope with and recover from your surgery. You can help yourself to get ready for surgery by trying to eat a healthy balanced diet and controlling your portion sizes. In addition to foods rich in nutrients, protein in particular is important in preparation for surgery. Protein helps to build muscle and a varied diet with lots of protein helps the body to fight off infection and heal itself. Adopting a healthy diet not only helps you prepare for cancer treatment/surgery but can have long term benefits to your health. To help you to maintain a healthy weight remember to: Watch for changes in weight Keep an eye on portion size Choose healthy options More information can be found at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well. Here you can find up to date guidance on ways you can ensure you have a healthy balanced diet and the Eatwell Guide, which provides information on the types and amounts of foods recommended.
Contact Information: 0800 876 6887 www.wellbeingforlife.net cddft.wb4tb@nhs.net cddft.cancerprehab@nhs.net