Why maintaining positive mental health is important in adult social care
Looking after others often takes its toll on unpaid carers and professional care givers. Taking care of ourselves can sometimes feel like the thing we never get around to doing, sitting on the ever growing “to do” list.
Attending to our own mental health and wellbeing is important. If we are depleted and exhausted, we cannot give our best and we can’t keep on giving with so many demands at home or at work.
As Mental Health Awareness Month draws to a close, let’s take this opportunity to think about mental health wellbeing and what we can do to support ourselves in order to best care for others. The plethora of networks available for colleagues across adult social care grows and we can use these as a place for learning, support, sharing and developing resilience.
Help available through support networks
If you find yourself in need of assistance, help may be available via various support networks.
Skills for Care has launched two new networks for nurses in practice and for those interested in education, including members from higher education institutions (HEI’s), as we grow and develop the specialism. The long-standing manager network remains an important source of information and support it is vital to helping people in those demanding roles.
The work led by the Foundation of Nursing Studies is growing from strength-to-strength. A free programme is open to nurses across social care to develop skills to support individuals and teams as they improve their own coping skills, reflection and behaviour changes.
The Queen's Institute of Community Nursing (QICN) has a long established group for nurses working in care homes and the wider community. This includes inspiring speakers, Facebook pages for sharing ideas, and a voice that amplifies our message.
The Social Care Nurse Advisory Councils offer support in every region and welcome your membership and participation.
This year, we are committed to developing a network for global majority colleagues in social care and we will share details as soon as we can. We welcome your thoughts and ideas on how this would best work for you and your colleagues, so please get in touch.
Supporting ourselves and colleagues across the sector
When we look after ourselves, we cultivate resilience that strengthens our connections with those we care for. This awareness empowers us to recognise depression and anxiety, especially for unpaid family carers who often hold guilt and responsibility for their loved ones.
But what about colleagues who may need assistance? All of us across the adult social care sector have the power to make a difference. We can play an important role acting as sign posters to support. This is a vital role we can play in improving mental health support for the wider community.
Please look after your own wellbeing and mental health and thank you for all that you do.
Leave a comment