How Care Providers Take Care of their Own Mental Health
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Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Your emotional health and well-being can support productivity and effectiveness in daily activities like:
- work
- school
- care giving
Your mental health plays an integral part in your life and allow you to cope with struggles and adversities. But how about our caregivers? The skills required for caregiving is quite demanding, who cares for them? We interview Kellie Cooper-Smith, a Palliative Care Assistant at HammondCare on how she takes care of hers.
I always make time each day to do something just for me! Even if it’s only 10-15 minutes! I might do a quick meditation, read a book, do some stretches, I’ve also taken up doing Pilates once a week. I also make sure that I don’t take on more than I can manage, it’s so important not to overextend yourself otherwise you will burn out. I work in Palliative Care, so I find it really important to make time for self–care. We also have a counselling service available to us, so utilising this service is a great way to debrief and keep on top of your emotional state.
Here’s a few simple things you can do for self-care:
- Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep
- Exercise
- Eat healthy
- Learn to say NO when needed
- Take a break and go outdoors from time to time
- Own a pet 🙂
- Read a book
- Schedule a self-care day weekly
Being healthy emotionally can promote productivity and effectiveness in activities like work, school or care giving. It plays an important part in the health of your relationships, and allows you to adapt to changes in your life and cope with adversity.
My name is Kellie Cooper-Smith and providing great Palliative Care is my passion. Two years ago, I was given the opportunity to participate in specialised Palliative Care training and began working as a Community Palliative Care Worker where I assisted people with terminal illness to die as they wished in their homes. Since then I have also become qualified in Community Services, Health Services Assistance (Assistant in Nursing) and Allied Health.
My goal is to help bridge the gaps in Palliative Care, one way I can do this is to share my knowledge and skills with the community and offer my advice and practical guidance to families who are caring for a loved one with a life limiting illness. In my work practice I follow a holistic and person-centred approach looking at each person as an individual, encompassing mind, body and spirit.
