Becoming Independent
Becoming more independent is a natural part of life and happens at different stages for different people. As you achieve more independence and understand your responsibilities, you should be included in decisions that are made about your health care. Here are some tips that other young people found useful:
- Be open and honest with your parents and health care team, this will build trust and help make your relationship with them better.
- Ask questions during your clinic visits.
- Set some small goals for you to achieve, for example, seeing the nurse or doctor alone for part of a clinic visit or contacting the chemist to organise your medication or treatment. These are small steps that will help you become more independent.
- Begin to take note of your clinic appointments and prepare yourself for them. You should note how you have been since your last visit and make a list of questions you may want to ask.
- Talk to your parents about your medical history and treatment. They will have plenty of knowledge about your health care that they can share with you. This may help you to feel more comfortable answering questions. Become more responsible for your own medication and/or treatment. Know what medication you take, when you take it and what it is for.
- Find out who you should contact in an emergency.
Becoming Independent
Becoming more independent is a natural part of life and happens at different stages for different people. As you achieve more independence and understand your responsibilities, you should be included in decisions that are made about your health care. Here are some tips that other young people found useful:
- Be open and honest with your parents and health care team, this will build trust and help make your relationship with them better.
- Ask questions during your clinic visits.
- Set some small goals for you to achieve, for example, seeing the nurse or doctor alone for part of a clinic visit or contacting the chemist to organise your medication or treatment. These are small steps that will help you become more independent.
- Begin to take note of your clinic appointments and prepare yourself for them. You should note how you have been since your last visit and make a list of questions you may want to ask.
- Talk to your parents about your medical history and treatment. They will have plenty of knowledge about your health care that they can share with you. This may help you to feel more comfortable answering questions. Become more responsible for your own medication and/or treatment. Know what medication you take, when you take it and what it is for.
- Find out who you should contact in an emergency.
Reading the material on this website and listening to or reading the ‘transition stories’ will help prepare you for transition.
In this way, you will gain more information and confidence that will support you through the process. The important thing is that you will see that you are not alone. Your parent(s)/guardian(s) and health care team are there to support you and help you to manage the move to adult services. There is no single transition process or programme in Ireland but it is helpful to think of the process as including the following three stages:
Reading the material on this website and listening to or reading the ‘transition stories’ will help prepare you in some way for transition.
In this way, you will gain more information and confidence that will support you through the process. The important thing is that you will see that you are not alone.
Your parent(s)/guardian(s) and health care team are there to support you and help you to manage the move to adult services. There is no single transition process or programme in Ireland but it is helpful to think of the process as including the following three stages:
