Kindness can be key to improving our mental health
This week is national Mental Health Awareness Week and this year the theme is kindness, always important for positive mental health but even more so right now. Get involved and help drive conversations and discussion on mental health in your Home.
We have learnt that amid the fears and anxiety going on all around us during the current pandemic, there is also community, support and hope. The added benefit of helping others is that it is good for our own mental health and wellbeing as well as helping to reduce stress and improve emotional wellbeing.
Kindness and Mental Health
Why kindness? Kindness strengthens relationships, develops community and deepens solidarity. It is a cornerstone of our individual and collective mental health.
Kindness is defined by doing something towards yourself and others, motivated by genuine desire to make a positive difference. Research shows that kindbess and mental health are deeply connected. Kindness is an antidote to isolation and creates a sense of belonging. It helps reduce stress, brings a fresh perspective and deepens friendships. Kindness to ourselves helps boost our self-esteem. Kindness can even improve feelings of confidence and optimism.
What are we doing at Caring Homes to promote wellbeing and awareness of our mental health?
Support when you need it
Many of you today and throughout the coming week will receive a pocket card from Caring Homes signposting you to the support available to all colleagues at this time.
Whether you are feeling anxious, feel you might need someone to share your concerns with and or think you could benefit from counselling or CBT, or additional support, we have a variety of ways in which you can access the support you need totally free.
You can use our Employee Assistance Helpline
A confidential telephone counselling service. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 0333 400 0545 and quote 75340.
Hapi Fridays
A weekly email featuring ways in which you can support yours and others wellbeing. Sign up to receive this each Friday, posters are in the Homes as is a QR Code. Resources can be accessed, printed and or shared electronically.
Hapi app
The Hapi app is the employee benefit platform available to everyone. It hosts Health and Wellbeing resources, including counselling, webinars on self-help, signposting to additional resources and support agencies, updates on COVID-19 and links to online retail/supermarket discounts for you and your family.
Your Manager
Your Manager will support you and your wellbeing. Arrange regular check ins with them to discuss how you’re feeling. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
The Social Care workforce app (named Care)
Shared with Home Managers two weeks ago this app offers all the same benefits enjoyed by NHS colleagues. Importantly however, it now also hosts a new wellbeing package for social care staff including 2 new helplines, led by the Samaritans and Hospice UK. This will help support care staff with their mental health and wellbeing and support those who have experienced a traumatic death as part of their work or help with anxiety and stress.
Samaritans, working with NHS England, have extended the use of their helpline to all social care workers. Social care staff will be able to speak to a trained Samaritans adviser who will provide a non-judgmental listening ear, safe space to offload and signposting to other services.
Hospice UK will also extend their bereavement and trauma support hotline to people working in social care, with specialist counsellors available to support staff who have experienced trauma, stress or anxiety through their work. Mental health and wellbeing guidance for the adult social care workforce was recently published on the app to support staff and employers through the outbreak.
We have this week rolled out the Hapi app and the Care app across all Caring Homes mobile devices to increase awareness of the support available with Managers and ultimately help them to support every colleague across Caring Homes.
Hapi Fridays this week will also be supporting Mental Health Week with features on how to recognise and address stress and how to develop and improve resilience in this ever-changing world and environment.
