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JSNA 2009 4.13.1 people living with a limiting long term illness living alone

Summary

Living with a long-lasting health condition (also called a chronic illness) presents a person with new challenges.

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Description	There are two types of illnesses: acute and chronic. Acute illnesses (like a cold or the flu) are usually over relatively quickly. Chronic illnesses are long-lasting health conditions Having a chronic condition doesn't necessarily mean an illness is critical or dangerous — although some chronic illnesses can be life threatening; chronic illnesses can include conditions like heart disease, asthma, arthritis, and diabetes. Although the symptoms of a chronic illness might go away with medical care, usually a person still has the underlying condition. Most people who have a chronic illness don't think of themselves as "having a chronic illness." They think of themselves as having a specific condition — such as asthma, or arthritis, or diabetes. If you're living with a chronic illness, you may feel affected not just physically, but also emotionally, socially, and sometimes financially. The way a person might be affected by a chronic illness depends on the particular illness and how it affects the body, how severe it is, and the kinds of treatments that might be involved.
Subject & Keywords	physical disability

About This Document

Description

There are two types of illnesses: acute and chronic. Acute illnesses (like a cold or the flu) are usually over relatively quickly. Chronic illnesses are long-lasting health conditions

Having a chronic condition doesn't necessarily mean an illness is critical or dangerous — although some chronic illnesses can be life threatening; chronic illnesses can include conditions like heart disease, asthma, arthritis, and diabetes. Although the symptoms of a chronic illness might go away with medical care, usually a person still has the underlying condition.

Most people who have a chronic illness don't think of themselves as "having a chronic illness." They think of themselves as having a specific condition — such as asthma, or arthritis, or diabetes. If you're living with a chronic illness, you may feel affected not just physically, but also emotionally, socially, and sometimes financially. The way a person might be affected by a chronic illness depends on the particular illness and how it affects the body, how severe it is, and the kinds of treatments that might be involved.

Subject & Keywords

physical disability