Caregivers and Social Wellbeing

“There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.” ― Rosalyn Carter

Welcome to the July 2020 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we will be turning our attention over to social wellbeing, returning to work sites, and supporting caregivers. Our social wellbeing has truly been tested in the last few months. To adapt, people have adopted more digital means of staying connected to the people in their lives. This is great, but digital meetings and hangouts can only replace real face to face contact for so long, however, until we are able to return to face to face as the primary way of connecting with the people in our lives safely, it will be important to maintain these digital connections to keep our social wellbeing as strong as possible.

Caregivers on the other hand must be in the same room as those they care for more often than not. This is one reason why caregivers have been impacted more than many other occupations. Not only this, but the people they are caring for are likely in a high-risk population due to their own compounded medical issues. For this reason, it is crucial that everyone do what they can to help support the caregivers in their lives. Even little things help. Offer to go shopping for them, cook a meal, do some laundry, or just be available for them to talk to if they need. See this month’s featured article below to get some ideas.

If you are a caregiver yourself, make sure to focus on your own selfcare on an ongoing basis. Make sure to take time for yourself whenever possible and do not hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Check our blog post here for tips on self-care as a caregiver.

As a quick reminder, your online portal, PersonalAdvantage, also has helpful caregiver resources such as tips and resources that you can use to strengthen your resilience if you are a caregiver, or to help you support loved ones who are a caregiver for someone else.

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

Returning to the Workplace

Employers are starting to ask employees to return to the office as states change their respective “Stay at Home” requirements. For the majority of employees increased stress, anxiety, fear, and depression have been present to varying degrees during the pandemic. Now, returning to work raises additional challenges.

Health psychology concerns include worry about physical safety, fear that germs (viruses) have increased, distrust of others’ hygiene and state of health, wanting to withdraw from the world and stay at home (this is not agoraphobia, the Japanese call it hikikomori), and a general hyper-vigilance.

What can employees do to manage their psychological concerns?

1. If you are anxious or fearful, ask yourself if it is disproportionate, and am I overreacting? You may or may not be, by the way, depending on the objective information about your workplace. If you are concluding you may be overreacting, how have you coped successfully before and how have you stayed healthy so far?
2. Some of us feel hopeless or like we have no control. What can you take control of? For example:
   1. Make sure you have personal protective equipment (PPE), don’t just rely on your employer.
   2. Take steps to ensure you and your colleagues still maintain physical distance (6 feet).
   3. Stay home if you have symptoms, ask your supervisor to ask colleagues with symptoms to leave work.
   4. Take charge of cleaning your personal work area as often as you need each day. Bring your own sanitizing supplies as back up in case your employer’s supply runs out.
   5. Use virtual meetings, email, messaging, and phone calls rather than in-person meetings as much as you can in the office to minimize exposure to others respiration.
3. For both depression and anxiety, take control by moving your body through walking or exercising outside. This will help your immune system and overall health. In addition, it helps create brain chemistry changes that are good for you.
4. Make good use of all the free apps for relaxation and meditation sessions that are available. Research is clear that these are good modalities for reducing stress, anxiety, and managing aspects of depression.
5. Seek mental health help. Take full advantage of your employer’s benefits. Your EAP with MINES is free to you! (1-800-873-7138) You can do your sessions virtually through phone, video, or message-based (text) modalities. Remember, you also get wellness coaching, work/life, legal/financial, and unlimited resources through your online PersonalAdvantage.

Check out our blog or our COVID19 Resource page for more resources and more helpful information pertaining to working remote, dealing with isolation, managing stress and anxiety, downloadable workbooks and more.

Remember that Your Employee Assistance Program is here to help you and your family members manage the anxiety from health concerns such as the Coronavirus. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars.

Most families and households have that person — the caregiver whom others lean on to provide the lion’s share of care when a loved one is stricken by illness, injury, disability, and the like.

But who’s looking out for the best interests of the caregiver? As heavily as some families depend on that person during times of need, it’s vital that they not only take the necessary planning steps to protect the family financially should the caregiver need care, but also recognize and address the needs of the primary caregiver.

Here are several priority items that personal finance experts suggest families consider in drawing up a care plan:

1. Accommodate the caregiver’s need to have time for themselves.
2. Realize the caregiver needs support and reach out for it.
3. The caregiver support network is strong. Tap into it.
4. Take stock of insurance coverage — and bolster it if necessary.
5. Be sure the caregiver’s vital documents and directives are in place and up-to-date.
6. Don’t wait. Put a care plan in place before a crisis hits, so crucial decisions aren’t clouded by panic and emotion.

Read More

Remember, your Employee Assistance Program is here to help you tackle the stresses of being a caregiver or supporting those in your family who are caregivers. You can access caregiver support tools on your PersonalAdvantage, as well as use your counseling services to address stress, burnout, compassion fatigue and other topics common among caregivers. If you need additional information, or to access services, please call MINES and Associates at 1-800-873-7138 today.

Question of the Month

How has the COVID19 restrictions impacted your social wellbeing? If you are a caregiver, how have the COVID19 restrictions impacted your role as a caregiver? Have these challenges helped to make you more resilient? In the future how will you use the coping strategies you have learned to help yourself and others?

This Month’s Focus

Free Webinar:

The Sandwich Generation: Multi-generational Caregiving

MINESblog:

New to TW? Check out our past Blogs!

COVID-19: For YOU, the Essential Worker!

COVID-19: Stress & Anxiety Reduction

COVID-19: Home Workout Essentials

Important Links

COVID19 Resource Page

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

Current Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINES Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES