World Mental Health Day

Did you know that Monday October 10th is World Mental Health Day? This day was established by the World Federation for Mental Health in 1992 to provide education, awareness and advocacy for those affected by mental illness worldwide. 

 

 

 

Family caregivers are disproportionately affected by mental health concerns as a result of the stress and strain of caring for individuals with chronic disease or other health issues. Beyond managing the day to day activities for the care recipient, many family caregivers find that the biggest struggle they face is letting go of the person they used to know and accepting the current status of the individual they care for. Other factors that can impact a caregiver's mental health include the nature of the relationship with the care recipient, the stage of the disability or disease and the strength of the social support network.

 

There is hope – and there is help.   We would like to share with you the Caring for the Caregiver Plancreated by the World Federation for Mental Health. This customizable plan ensures that the mental and physical health of the caregiver is not only maintained but also improved.

 

The Caring for the Caregiver Plan has three components:

 

1) Cope with day-to-day demands by getting the help that you need

• Understand that it is okay to ask for help
• Define the help you need
• Seek out resources in your community for help

2) Create a community of care providers

• Utilize a web-based caregiving coordination service, or a paper and pencil calendar method, to organize offers of help
• Contact a reputable home care agency to provide respite care

3) Care for your mental health

• Monitor signs of caregiver burnout
• Watch for signs of anxiety, and if necessary, seek help
• Watch for signs of depression, and if necessary, seek help

Take the time to write out a Caring for the Caregiver plan for yourself. In doing so, you can help sustain – and ultimately improve – your own mental and physical well-being while continuing to provide excellent care. At Home Care Assistance, we wrote the book on family caregiving, and we're here to help with respite care when you need us. Have a great weekend!

 

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Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon), Hamilton and surrounding areas.