Bell Let’s Talk Day
The Prime Care Family Health Team is proud to support Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 28th.
Bell Let’s Talk Day is an annual awareness campaign created by Bell Canada to raise awareness and combat stigma surrounding mental illness in Canada.
On Bell Let’s Talk Day, we all have the opportunity to create positive change and raise funds for mental health initiatives across the country.
This Thursday, January 28th, Bell Canada will donate 5¢ for every text, call, tweet and TikTok using the #BellLetsTalk hashtag, as well as every social media view and use of the Facebook or Snapchat filter created by Bell Canada for this initiative.
We encourage all of you to take part in this incredible day by sharing the hashtag, #BellLetsTalk, on your social channels. Remember, every one of these actions count.
COVID Corner
The Prime Care team is here to help you stay up to date and informed when it comes to COVID-19 and the vaccination process here in Canada.
Moving forward, every other newsletter will include a COVID Corner section with updates, information and resources related to the COVID-19 virus and the vaccination process.
The first phase of COVID-19 vaccinations began in early January for Canadians and as of January 12th, 144,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine were administered across the province of Ontario.
These vaccines were administered to the following populations:
– 45,000 healthcare workers in long term care and retirement homes
– 77,000 healthcare workers
– 13,000 long term care and retirement homes residents
– An additional 20,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine were administered to long term care and retirement home staff and residents as well as essential care workers.
At the moment, phase 2 is set to begin in late March or early April and will likely overlap the end of phase 1, though this timeframe may be delayed due to ongoing needs, vaccine logistics and risk factors.
The goal is to have all of the vaccines administered to the above mentioned populations by February 15th.
Phase 2 of the vaccines will cover the following populations:
– Older adults, beginning with those over 80 and decreasing in 5 year increments over the course of vaccine roll-out.
– Those living and working in other high-risk congregate settings
– Essential workers, beginning with front-line essential workers
– Individuals with high-risk chronic conditions, and their caregivers
– Other populations and communities facing barriers related to the determinants of health across Ontario who are at a greater COVID-19 risk (e.g., Black and other racialized populations).
For more information on the COVID-19 vaccines in the Halton Region, visit the COVID-19 Fact Sheet attached here.
Optimizing You in 2021
A new year is upon us, and for many, a new year signals a fresh start.
2020 was a challenging year for many of us as we navigated a global pandemic that changed much of what we were used to. As we look toward a new year, we often make resolutions, many of which are centred around health and wellness. While we continue to navigate lockdown restrictions, we have compiled a few ways you can maintain a health body and mind while at home.
Play Board Games For Your Health And Well-being!
Board games (including digital versions) can help us relieve the feeling of social isolation with fun activities (while maintaining the rules of confinement and social distancing). Take your board games out of the closet so that you can play with other people who are under the same roof as you or download a digital version to play with others virtually.
Exercise Safely At Home
Keeping both your body and brain healthy with exercise is an important part of healthy aging. While the pandemic has made it more challenging to exercise, there are still creative ways to move safely and do both your body and your brain some good! There is an abundance of exercise classes offered online, virtually, or available on DVD. Grab some water and a towel and make sure you clear some space around you to move. If you’re new to exercise, remember to start slowly and be mindful of your health status, abilities, and limitations.
Lean On Laughter
Laughter and humour strategies such as laughter yoga and humour interventions, such as watching a funny movie, can be used to maintain perspective during difficult times. Research tells us that laughter and humour interventions may help reduce feelings of sadness and worry in adults and can positively impact sleep quality.
Eat Healthy To Benefit Your Mind And Body
Crises, like the current COVID-19 pandemic, impact mental well-being by giving rise to feelings of sadness, fear, stress, and boredom and these emotions can directly impact our diet. Given the established benefits of adopting a healthy diet on physical health— such weight loss, avoiding weight gain, and reducing the risk of chronic disease—and emerging evidence around potential benefits to mental well-being, paying attention to our diet is a good practice with many positive benefits.
Kick Bad Habits To The Curb
From cancer to heart disease, the hazards of smoking have long been documented. Emerging evidence appears to suggest that there could also be a dangerous association between smoking and COVID-19. Consider becoming smoke-free for your overall health and well-being, both within and outside of this pandemic.
Mother Nature Is A Powerful Antidote To Anxiety And Depression
The forest floor is lined with snow and decaying red, orange and yellow leaves. Overhead, a crow squawks and wind rustles through a nearby hemlock grove. A dozen people stand together, inhaling fresh air and peering up through bare maples as the sun peeks through a crack in the slate sky.
This may not be the scene most people imagine when they think of managing anxiety and depression however for the Canadian Mental Health Association, this is exactly what it is to harness nature’s healing powers to help those with mental illness.
For those who regularly partake in nature walks, it is considered an important part of recovery from depression and anxiety. During this time of COVID, just getting out of the house either onto the trails or even your neighbourhood sidewalks is helpful. One volunteer from CMHA mentioned that once they arrive on the trails, their anxiety is alleviated and the walk gives them the opportunity to be present, more at ease and more relaxed and refreshed afterwards.
It is important to address mind, body and spirit when overcoming anxiety and depression and that’s what being in nature does, according to Anna Lukomsky, a mental health worker at CMHA. The Canadian Mental Health Association encourages participants to set goals; for some it is to lose weight and for others it is to improve their fitness level. Whatever the motivation, improved mood and decreased anxiety is realized across the board.
Green space has been shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increase serotonin, which reflects a calmer state. It provides relief from the sensory overload that is part of daily life, especially as a result of technology, and helps restore focus and attention.
Exercise like walking that takes place in the outdoors instead of on a treadmill packs even more of a punch — as a result of changing terrain, fresh air and even the natural chemicals absorbed through the senses. So grab your hat and mitts, lace up your boots and hit the trails for a relaxing and refreshing walk this week.
Source: Toronto Star
On our Mental Health Resources Page, you can find a list of credible information and resources about maintaining mental health during this time of crisis.
Our newly improved Health Sites & Apps Page also features links to helpful resources across various categories related to health and wellness.
Be sure to check our website regularly for updated information and resources regarding Mental Health, Diabetes Education, Nutrition Guidance and more!
Prime Care Family Health Team
#110-470 Bronte Street South
Milton, ON
L9T 2J4
Tel: (905) 878-1720
Fax: (905) 878-7857
www.primecarefht.ca