In search of an empowering and motivating personal wellbeing pathway for Finnish heart patients

In this article, motivation for healthy living is discussed, with a special focus on empowerment and responsibility. The individual and his or her needs and preferences are taken as the starting point with an aim to sketch a holistic picture of the elements needed in a health promotive care process from the perspective of the individual, to enhance empowerment and motivation to lead a healthy life. Health and wellbeing related services are presented as an exemplar of a structural element by which society can work as an enabler of wellbeing, taking co-responsibility of the wellbeing of the individual. It is argued that this requires that the services of public, private and third sector service providers from different fields are seamlessly connected and easy to access, with support and information available throughout the personally tailored care pathway. Also the knowhow and attitudes of all the actors must be thought of. These aspects of a good care process have been identified through interviews with heart patients and workshops with actors in a region in southern Finland, as well as based on theoretical background information and prior research. These aspects form the personal wellbeing pathway model that is presented in this article as an ideal type of a service pathway to enhance taking actively charge of one’s own wellbeing.