Health and Wellbeing News

As the COVID-19 situation is progressing and the Government guidance continues to change, individuals may be feeling anxious. Mental Health support during times like these are paramount, which is why Care first have worked tirelessly to ensure our services remain available 24/7 throughout the pandemic to provide emotional and practical support and ensure we have every aspect of your overall wellbeing covered. Where clinically appropriate Care first are continuing to offer structured counselling through phone and virtual software. At Care first the health and safety of both you the employee and our counselling team are absolutely paramount, any changes to our structured counselling process will be made in line with government guidance.

These services include:

Counselling support

Our team of professionally trained, qualified and BACP Accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to offer support for personal or workplace related issues. As well as the headline issues surrounding mental health, our Care first counsellors are also trained in dealing with both work and home grievances, bullying & harassment issues, domestic violence, relationships at both home and at work and much more. No matter how big or small the problem may be, our counsellors are here for you to provide you with unbiased support away from the situation. Everyone has very individual needs for support, Care first provides short term focussed counselling, so the Care first Counsellor will assess your circumstances when you call to establish what the most appropriate form of support will be for you. It might be that you just need a brief conversation with the Counsellor that day, or you may benefit from a few more sessions.

Information Specialists

As control, or the lack of it, can be an influencing factor on the impact of stress. Many individuals identify stress as emotional, however, a lack of control around practical issues can be just as impactful. We have expert advisors that have been trained by Citizens Advice who can provide you with comprehensive answers and assistance on a wide range of practical issues which can affect our daily life, these include but are not limited to; redundancy, advice on funerals and probate, legal information, housing and tenancy issues, childcare, eldercare, health, consumer issues, employment, travel and education. Our Information Specialists are also money trained experts and can provide support with a variety of financial queries such as help with budgeting finances and advice with benefits. You can speak with one of our Information Specialists confidentially Monday-Friday between 8am-8pm.

Management Support

If you are a manager, have leadership responsibilities, or look after a team within your organisation, it is as important as ever that your colleagues are made aware of the range of support available from Care first. As well as supporting you to signpost your colleagues to the Care first service effectively to maintain your managerial boundaries, Care first can also provide you with support within your role as a manager. Care first Counsellors are all management trained and can provide support with issues such as if the organisation is going through a period of redundancy, managing change and difficult conversations, workplace performance, remote working, absence management and disciplinary.

Care first Lifestyle

Through the Care first lifestyle site you can access a wide range of supportive information, read helpful articles published by our team, view Webinars covering a variety of well-being topics and even speak with a Care first Counsellor in real-time via our online counselling facility. You can log into your account by visiting www.carefirstlifestyle.co.uk and logging in using your organisation’s unique log in details. If you are unsure what these details are then please contact your line manager or HR department. The Care first Lifestyle website is great place to go to learn more about Care first and the different areas that we can support in.

How all of these above services link together

As you can see from the above table, all the services that we offer complement each other to ultimately encompass an individual’s overall mental and physical wellbeing, which enables individuals to access professional and clinically proven support.

Our counselling support is available 24/7 to help individuals with any emotional issues that they may have. Our Information Specialists can help individuals with practical information and advice. This practical support is so important because if an individual is concerned about a practical issue, then this can cause detrimental effects to their emotional wellbeing. By getting some support from an Information Specialist this will provide the individual with some clarity on that particular issue, which may help them to feel more in control of a situation and relieve some anxiety.

The Care first Lifestyle site can help individuals who are concerned about an issue. The individual may not know where to start and they can have a look at the resources on our Lifestyle website which may be enough to help them. The Lifestyle website is a great starting place to learn about the types of issues that Care first can support with. The individual can also access our online counselling tool through the Lifestyle website which is an alternative way to access support from a counsellor. By an individual looking through all the resources on our Lifestyle website this can help them to get answers about an issue they may be having. Again by getting some clarity on their issue this may have a positive effect on their mental wellbeing.

If you would like to learn more about ‘How Care first can support you’ then please join our webinar on Monday 14^th June 2021 at 12pm using the details below –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/214927450854602512

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

If you wish to contact the Care first telephone counselling and information line then please don’t hesitate to call the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

This year Diabetes Week will take place from 14th – 20th June. It is organised by Diabetes UK.

To find out more about Diabetes see the links below:

• A Parent’s Guide To Type 1 Diabetes
• Diabetes – Be In The Know
• Diabetes And Looking After Your Feet
• Diabetes Care During Coronavirus
• Diabetes Has No Off Switch
• Newly Diagnoses With Diabetes – What’s Next
• Putting Feet First
• Staying At Home & Managing Diabetes
• Symptoms Of Diabetes
• Your Guide To Diabetes Week 2021
• Your Guide To Moving More When You Have Diabetes
• Your Guide To Type 1 Diabetes
• Your Guide To Type 2 Diabetes

Here are a few ideas for different ways you can get involved during Diabetes Week…

• Download a poster and put it in your window – or design your own.
• Follow Diabetes UK on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
• Share your story – and encourage others to share theirs too. This could be on social media to raise awareness (be as creative as you like!) Or, it could be over a cuppa with a friend – however you feel comfortable.
• Add our Diabetes Week frame to your Facebook profile photo for the week.
• Send a positive postcard to a loved one.
• Organise a Zoom quiz, coffee morning or a walk with your friends and family (restrictions permitting, of course)

This week is Men’s Health Week organised by the Men’s Health Forum.

The focus for 2021 will be Mental Health in a Covid World.

For Men’s Health Week 2021, the Men’s Health Forum (MHF) are asking as many people as possible to try the CAN DO Challenge.

On Friday, everybody can give their support to the men’s health message by wearing blue. Can you give something else as well?

You CAN DO it for fun. Or you CAN DO it to fundraise. Support your favourite charity.

The five ways to wellbeing are five things we can all do that are scientifically-proven to help us feel better. For the CAN DO Challenge, choose a different way to wellbeing to for each day of Men’s Health Week.​

Every day, a different way

The five ways are:

• Connect – connect with other people (eg. call an old friend you haven’t since before lockdown) #connectmonday
• (Be) Active – move your body (eg. go for a run/walk/swim/dance/shag) #activetuesday
• Notice – take notice of the environment around you (eg. turn off your phone for an hour) #noticewednesday
• Discover – learn something new (eg. read a book you haven’t read before) #discoverthursday
• Offer (or give) – do something for someone else (eg. volunteer for a local community group) #offerfriday

For more information about Men’s Health Week please visit https://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/

National Carers Week runs from 7^th – 13^th June 2021 –

National carers Week is an annual event which highlights the challenges unpaid carers face, and seeks to recognise the contribution carers make to their families and communities. In this article Care first will offer some supportive tips for carers and a link on how to join the live webinar on Friday June 11^th 2021.

Tips to consider:

1. Combat any rising anxiety levels by setting a strict time limit on how much you read about coronavirus on social media and in the news. Only follow the advice of trusted sources such as the gov.uk and NHS websites, and look out for their daily updates.
2. Allocate a time slot in your day for an activity you enjoy – whether it’s to read, write, paint, cook, do some gardening or knit. Encourage those you care for to make time for activities they enjoy doing, too. Carersuk.org run ‘share and learn’ sessions on Zoom. These are free and cover something for everyone, from classical music to yoga, to salsa and First Aid.
3. Try to find moments for yourself – exercising mindfulness, even just by listening to music, is a great way to find calmness and peace of mind. With help from online guidance, many people find seated exercises, yoga or dance helpful to charge up those endorphins too.
4. Getting enough sleep can be challenging for many carers. Some people find meditation exercises before bed really help. Other tips include having a bath with lavender oil, drinking chamomile tea or reading another chapter of that novel you’ve been meaning to pick up again before going to bed (try to find ways to switch off – especially from online devices).
5. Keep in touch with friends, family and others by phone and online apps and portals. It’s reassuring to know at this time that it can be easy to communicate even from far away. Talking and sharing your feelings with someone can be a massive relief and release. If you’re feeling alone and very stressed, Care first’s in the moment support service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our information specialists can also provide you with practical support and information and are available 8am-8pm (GMT) Monday – Friday.
6. There are lots of supportive online groups and sources of help – Visit carersuk.org to find their online forum, where you can connect with other carers facing similar challenges, making a plan and support and advise with benefits assessments. The nhs.uk website can also support and advise young carers, advise with respite care and also take you through a carers assessment.

If you feel you may need some support you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

You can join our live webinar titled ‘Supportive information for Carers in line with National Carers Week’ on Friday 11^th June 2021 at 12pm. Please use the following link to register your attendance:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1057349070627718415

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

As the COVID-19 situation is progressing and the Government guidance continues to change, individuals may be feeling anxious, tired and fed up. Mental Health support during times like these are paramount, which is why Care first have worked tirelessly to ensure our services remain available 24/7 throughout the pandemic to provide emotional and practical support and ensure we have every aspect of your overall wellbeing covered.

It may be fair to say that most people would really like a holiday more than ever right now following approximately 15 months of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although restrictions have started to ease, there is still a lot of uncertainty and a warning of being cautious with our actions. It may be that you are considering an alternative to a holiday abroad this year and a staycation may be a good option for you. This article will also look at other activities you could consider this summer.

A stay at home Staycation

You could try and do everything that you would normally do on holiday at home. Now this may not be possible for everyone depending on your individual circumstances, but you could potentially have a lovely holiday from the comfort of your own home. You could prepare for some warm weather by making your garden look really pretty so that it is an enjoyable space to spend time in. Then you could set up a tent in your garden as your accommodation and even get a small pool or hot tub for example. It may be nice on a lovely summers day sat out in the garden with the barbeque going. You could plan family day trips locally and really make the most of your stay at home holiday.

A Home country Staycation

A staycation is a vacation but staying in your home country. Whether you venture off for a city break, or head to a remote part of the country, there is a huge range of accommodation options ranging from the usual Hotels and Air BnB’s to something a little different like glamping (or just camping), staying in a cabin or a shepherds hut, or even a bubble in a tree! There is more in the UK than most realise, you just need to have a good look for it. Just ensure to check local restrictions in the area you are visiting and be as prepared as you can for any change in restrictions while you are away.

Other activities you may be able to do this summer

• Outdoor activities – Making the most of the good weather by taking part in some outdoor activities. Much like the staycations, there are more outdoor activities than most realise. There are of course the usual outdoor activities such as Golf, fishing, bike rides, kayaking, sports etc. There are also a range of COVID adapted options now too such as outdoor cinemas or drive in music festivals. It may be that you feel safer doing these activities outdoors rather than indoors. Organisers are getting creative, so options are growing.
• Local events – Keep an eye out for any local events that may be going on. Of course all events now should be set up in line with safety measures laid out by the Government, but you can always get in touch with event organisers to confirm the necessary precautions have been taken. Local events can make for a nice day out, these can range from car boot sales, open air markets, public speakers, food markets the list goes on (pack some anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitiser to take with you!). There will often be a website or magazine that you can subscribe to keeping you informed.
• Social events – Social events are now possible since the recent easing of restrictions for bars and pubs, all of which will have precautions in place to maximise yours and staff safety. However, social events at home is a little different as the responsibility is yours. With safety in mind why not make the most of the sunshine and have a family BBQ, play some games in the garden, go for a picnic or a nice long adventure walk (all in line with Government guidelines).
• Entertaining Children – All the events above can be suitable for children, except for the bars and pubs of course. When it comes to children is can be particularly hard to think of ways to entertain them during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Apart from some of the above, there are other ways to entertain children but it does require some creative thinking. Examples could be a treasure hunt, baking, painting, building dens and so on. These are just some examples, you may be able to get creative and come up with more, but if you’re struggling, try this article which has some more ideas!
• Other ideas – Despite restrictions being imposed on a number of things that we may like doing which leaves us a bit lost for ideas, there are in fact a long list of possibilities. Having some time to think a bit creatively is key, or even find some inspiration. Have a look at some good sources of inspiration below:
  • Real simple
  • Visit England
  • BBC
  • Save the Children

How can Care first help?

If you feel you may need some emotional or practical support, you can contact Care first on the Freephone number. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. Whilst our BACP accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to provide support with emotional issues, our expertly trained Information Specialists are available 8am-8pm Monday-Friday to provide advice on any practical issues that may be causing you a stress or worry and help you feel more in control of a situation.

All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Staycations this Summer” This is being delivered live on Thursday 10^th June at 12pm, please use the below link to register for this session –

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5976567391832925968

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

Diabetes Awareness Week runs from 14th – 20th June 2021 –

It is well known that long term illness can have a negative impact on our mental health. As we hear time and time again through studies, the media and other outlets long term illness can have many different knock on effects. For example, some say people with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes.

You may sometimes feel discouraged, worried, frustrated, or tired of dealing with daily diabetes care, like diabetes is controlling you instead of the other way around. Maybe you’ve been trying hard but not seeing results. Or you’ve developed a health problem related to diabetes in spite of your best efforts.

Those overwhelming feelings, often referred to as diabetes distress, may cause you to slip into unhealthy habits, stop checking your blood sugar, even skip doctor’s appointments. It happens to many – if not most – people with diabetes, often after years of good management. In any 18-month period, 33% to 50% of people with diabetes have diabetes distress.

Diabetes distress can look like depression or anxiety, but it can’t be treated effectively with medicine, like diabetes often can. Instead, these tips can help:

• Pay attention to your feelings.
• Talk with your health care providers about your feelings.
• Talk to your health care providers about negative reactions other people may have about your diabetes.
• Ask if help is available for the costs of diabetes medicines and supplies.
• Talk with your family and friends.
• Allow loved ones to help you take care of your diabetes.
• Talk to other people with diabetes.
• Do one thing at a time.
• Pace yourself.
• Take time to do the things you enjoy!

As with other types of mental health issues, with early intervention recovery is both possible and very likely.

If you feel you may need some support you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

Useful Sources & Information References:

If you would like to access further information about Diabetes and Mental Health awareness week in more detail please follow the links listed here:

• https://www.diabetes.org.uk/get_involved/diabetes-week
• https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-complications/diabetes-and-mental-health.html
• https://diabetes-resources-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/resources-s3/2021-05/diabetesweek-guide.pdf?1QfSWXzVUjAJJMZQLQsTccx9VabeKF3j=

If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Diabetes: How long term illnesses can affect our mental health’ this is being delivered live on Wednesday 9th June at 12pm, please use the below link to register for this session –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/980605358032653071

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

As of the third week of June 2020 49% of the population had felt anxious or worried about the end of Lockdown. Many felt their support would be cut off, in terms of free food parcels, help and support from their communities, friends and families. There were mixed feelings for many and in particular, those who had been deemed as particularly vulnerable and who had to continue to self-isolate until August 2020.

Almost a year on the country are again waiting for news of the final easing of lockdown due to take place on June 21st 2021. This last lockdown which has been in place since December 2020 has been the longest and for many, the toughest of all.

There has been a sharp rise in the onset of Mental Illness and those already living with a Mental Illness have seen their symptoms exacerbated. All change brings with it feelings of uncertainty, anxiety and the feeling of having no control. Like the beginning of the very first lockdown which began in March 2020 where things happened quickly and all aspects of the life we had and knew, changed. Since then many of us have experienced a roller-coaster of feelings and emotions as we have travelled on the “strangest” journey we have made in our lifetime.

We have experienced many things and are about to again with the easing of the rules and lockdown restrictions due to take place on June 21st. However, we are now being told about the prevalence of the “Indian variant” which is causing a rise in reported cases of Coronavirus again across the UK. For many, this is feeling “different” and there is now much uncertainty about what will happen and even if lockdown will ease at all or, as in some parts of the UK where there has already been a delay to the easing of the restrictions.

Right now, we just don’t know what will happen on June 21st or afterwards. This can lead to people feeling worried, anxious and uncertain. The fear for many is the possibility of local lockdowns being enforced in areas which are most affected.

Eight parts of the country have been given different advice from the rest of England and have been given stay local advice, prompting local lockdown fears.

The advice states: “The new Covid-19 variant spreads more easily from person to person. To help stop the spread, you should take particular caution when meeting anyone outside your household or support bubble”

For many, the thought of local lockdowns is actually more anxiety provoking than full lockdowns where people know exactly what is expected of them.

Lockdown has been difficult for many of us, for lots of different reasons. In full lockdown things might have felt more certain or predictable, as the rules were clearer and everyone was required to do the same thing. But now that lockdown restrictions are easing things might feel less clear, and there may be new challenges.

In terms of managing these anxieties, think of all the skills you had before March 2020, the skills you have both acquired and developed since then and where you are now in terms of thoughts and feelings.

The concept of potential Local lockdowns will perhaps be a source of frustration, particularly as we appeared to be so close to an ending of what has been a challenging year for so many.

Consider the following; what it means to you, and how you can deal with these possible feelings. Remember that these are all normal reactions to change and uncertainty. It is about identifying them and knowing where to go for help, support and information –

• Anxious, afraid or panicked
• Low, hopeless or tired
• Angry or frustrated
• Conflicted or confused
• Stressed or unprepared
• A sense of grief or loss
• Reluctant or unmotivated
• Lonely or isolated
• Uneasy about relationships
• Distrustful
• Powerless
• A sense of injustice
• Under pressure
• Unsupported or disregarded

How can Care first help?

If you feel you may need some emotional or practical support, you can contact Care first on the Freephone number. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. Whilst our BACP accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to provide support with emotional issues, our expertly trained Information Specialists are available 8am-8pm Monday-Friday to provide advice on any practical issues that may be causing you a stress or worry and help you feel more in control of a situation.

All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

If you would like to view the Webinar on Local Lockdown Anxiety this is being delivered live on Tuesday 8^th June at 12pm, please use the below link to register for this session –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4045130082110566414

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

7th – 13th June 2021 is Carers Week.

What is Carers Week?

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.

This year’s theme is Make Caring Visible and Valued.

Who is a carer?

A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, or who needs extra help as they grow older. It isn’t someone who volunteers or is employed to provide support.

To find out more about how to get involved and show your support please click here.

These services include:

Counselling support

Our team of professionally trained, qualified and BACP Accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to offer support for personal or workplace related issues. As well as the headline issues surrounding mental health, our Care first counsellors are also trained in dealing with both work and home grievances, bullying & harassment issues, domestic violence, relationships at both home and at work and much more. No matter how big or small the problem may be, our counsellors are here for you to provide you with unbiased support away from the situation. Everyone has very individual needs for support, Care first provides short term focussed counselling, so the Care first Counsellor will assess your circumstances when you call to establish what the most appropriate form of support will be for you. It might be that you just need a brief conversation with the Counsellor that day, or you may benefit from a few more sessions.

Information Specialists

As control, or the lack of it, can be an influencing factor on the impact of stress. Many individuals identify stress as emotional, however, a lack of control around practical issues can be just as impactful. We have expert advisors that have been trained by Citizens Advice who can provide you with comprehensive answers and assistance on a wide range of practical issues which can affect our daily life, these include but are not limited to; redundancy, advice on funerals and probate, legal information, housing and tenancy issues, childcare, eldercare, health, consumer issues, employment, travel and education. Our Information Specialists are also money trained experts and can provide support with a variety of financial queries such as help with budgeting finances and advice with benefits. You can speak with one of our Information Specialists confidentially Monday-Friday between 8am-8pm.

Management Support

If you are a manager, have leadership responsibilities, or look after a team within your organisation, it is as important as ever that your colleagues are made aware of the range of support available from Care first. As well as supporting you to signpost your colleagues to the Care first service effectively to maintain your managerial boundaries, Care first can also provide you with support within your role as a manager. Care first Counsellors are all management trained and can provide support with issues such as if the organisation is going through a period of redundancy, managing change and difficult conversations, workplace performance, remote working, absence management and disciplinary.

Care first Lifestyle

Through the Care first lifestyle site you can access a wide range of supportive information, read helpful articles published by our team, view Webinars covering a variety of well-being topics and even speak with a Care first Counsellor in real-time via our online counselling facility. You can log into your account by visiting www.carefirstlifestyle.co.uk and logging in using your organisation’s unique log in details. If you are unsure what these details are then please contact your line manager or HR department. The Care first Lifestyle website is great place to go to learn more about Care first and the different areas that we can support in.

How all of these above services link together

As you can see from the above table, all the services that we offer complement each other to ultimately encompass an individual’s overall mental and physical wellbeing, which enables individuals to access professional and clinically proven support.

Our counselling support is available 24/7 to help individuals with any emotional issues that they may have. Our Information Specialists can help individuals with practical information and advice. This practical support is so important because if an individual is concerned about a practical issue, then this can cause detrimental effects to their emotional wellbeing. By getting some support from an Information Specialist this will provide the individual with some clarity on that particular issue, which may help them to feel more in control of a situation and relieve some anxiety.

The Care first Lifestyle site can help individuals who are concerned about an issue. The individual may not know where to start and they can have a look at the resources on our Lifestyle website which may be enough to help them. The Lifestyle website is a great starting place to learn about the types of issues that Care first can support with. The individual can also access our online counselling tool through the Lifestyle website which is an alternative way to access support from a counsellor. By an individual looking through all the resources on our Lifestyle website this can help them to get answers about an issue they may be having. Again by getting some clarity on their issue this may have a positive effect on their mental wellbeing.

If you would like to learn more about ‘How Care first can support you’ then please join our webinar on Monday 7^th June 2021 at 12pm using the details below –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9068980128988803854

If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.

If you wish to contact the Care first telephone counselling and information line then please don’t hesitate to call the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

This week is “Growing for Wellbeing Week” and will run from the 7th – 13th June 2021.

Set up by Life at No.27, the week is a celebration of the magic that growing your own produce can do for your wellbeing, both physically and mentally.

Evidence shows that there are many health benefits of gardening including improved confidence, communication, concentration and ultimately self-belief.

Gardening improves mental health, enables better physical health, provides an opportunity to connect with others, acquire new skills and enjoy the great outdoors.

For more details please see https://lifeatno27.com/national-growing-for-wellbeing-week/