March 2020 | DPV Health

Taking care of your mental health during COVID-19

Posted on March 24, 2020March 27, 2020 by Ruya.Hudleston@dpvhealth.org.au

With the number of coronavirus cases continuing to rise across Australia, it’s normal to feel worried and anxious. It’s also important to understand how to best manage stress so that we can help ourselves and those we care for. Here are some tips for staying on top of your mental health during this unusual time.

Understand the facts

It is important to understand what you need to do to help reduce the spread of the virus; however, ongoing media coverage can make you feel anxious. Try to limit your media exposure and instead, check in with the Australian Government’s health alert site, or the World Health Organization for more information.

Keep things in perspective

When we feel upset or anxious, things can sometimes appear worse than they are. Try to remember that this time of self-isolation and economic uncertainty is only temporary. Also remember, that most people who become ill with the coronavirus have fairly mild symptoms and can recover at home.

Stay connected

It’s important to stay connected to the people you care about. Don’t forget to use the phone, or have a video chat with your friends and family.

Practice self-care

When our everyday routines change, practicing self-care becomes even more important. Here are a few things that you can do that will help you stay on top of your mental health:

Eat a nutritious and balanced diet – DPV Health’s Dietitians are here to help
Exercise regularly – if you can’t get out, look for online exercise programs
Get enough sleep
Use this time for hobbies and activities that you enjoy

Have fun with your children

Remember, this can be a stressful time for children. Children are good at picking up the worries or concerns of others, and many of their usual activities may be on hold. Let your children know that they can talk to you about their own concerns. Also let them know that it is normal to feel concerned or worried at this time.

Now is a great time to get into the garden with your children and kick a ball around or play a game. If you’re stuck indoors, why not get out that board game, do some art together? Spending quality time with your kids is good for their mental health and yours.

What’s next?

Understanding when you need help is also an important part of taking care of your mental health. If you or someone in your care is experiencing disturbed sleep patterns, or feeling isolated and/or agitated to the extent that it is affecting daily life, reach out to a DPV counsellor for support or Dietitians for advice on 1300 234 263 or visit our support resources: https://www.dpvhealth.org.au/coronavirus-covid-19/support-resources/

Georgie Harman, CEO at Beyond Blue, explains how to manage anxiety amid all the uncertainty.

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What you need to know about self isolation

Posted on March 20, 2020April 14, 2020 by Ruya.Hudleston@dpvhealth.org.au

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There’s been a lot of talk in the media lately about self-isolation and the coronavirus, but what does this term actually mean for you and your family?

Who needs to self-isolate?

From midnight March 15^th 2020, the Australian Government has ordered that people who have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus (as well as those returning from overseas) should self-isolate in either their own homes or hotel rooms. This self-isolation should last for 14 days, which is the amount of time it usually takes for symptoms of the coronavirus to appear.

What does self-isolation really mean?

Self-isolation means that you must stay in one residence and not go to public places such as work, school, childcare, university or public gatherings. Only the people who usually live with you at home should be allowed in the house. Avoid inviting or entertaining visitors to your home and if you are in a hotel, try to avoid having contact with staff or guests.

Going outside

The Department of Health has indicated that if you live in a private house, then it is safe for you to spend time in your garden or courtyard. If you live in an apartment block, or are staying in a hotel, it is okay to go into the garden, but you should wear a surgical mask, and try to move through shared public areas as quickly as possible.

How do I manage 14 days of isolation?

Being in isolation can be stressful, upsetting and boring. Try to remember that you will only need to self-isolate for 14 days and it is for the good of the whole community. Perhaps the best way to think about self-isolation is that it doesn’t mean that you can’t communicate with other people. In fact, staying in (non-physical) contact with people is important. Here are some suggestions:

Talk to others on the phone, email or social media
Try to develop some daily routines – especially around eating and exercise
Do things that help you to relax
Talk to school age children about the situation in terms that they can understand
Use the 14 days as an opportunity to do activities that you don’t usually have time for

Is self-isolation the same as social distancing (now referred to as physical distancing)?

No. These are different things. While self-isolation requires you to stay home, social distancing simply means not getting too close to other people when you are going about your daily activities. For example, if you do not need to self-isolate at home, you may go to school, university or work, however you need to reduce the spread of germs. This can be done by:

Stop handshaking as a greeting
Hold meetings over the phone or as a video conference
Put off large meetings that need everyone in the room
Try to stay at least 1.5 meters from other people
Wash your hands with soap, and use hand sanitiser as much as possible.

Your Mental Health

While physical distancing and self-isolation can help protect our physical health, we also need to consider our mental health.

Feelings such as boredom, frustration, anxiety and even post-traumatic stress disorder can all be triggered by this sudden and widespread change in our environment.

To help support the mental health and well-being of our community, dpv health’s counselling, psychology and social work team will be making phone based therapy sessions available during this difficult time.

Should you or your family need personal support and wish to speak with a counsellor, please call 1300 234 263 to arrange a phone based appointment.

DPV Health

DPV Health celebrates International Women’s Day

Posted on March 11, 2020March 25, 2020 by Ruya.Hudleston@dpvhealth.org.au

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DPV Health marked International Women’s Day (IWD) last week with a company lunch attended by special guest speaker, Member for Thomastown, Bronwyn Halfpenny.

*Member for Thomastown Bronwyn Halfpenny (centre) with Roxanne Strauss, General Manager – People, Culture & Transformation and DPV Health CEO Don Tidbury*

At DPV Health, we are continually working towards empowering our community members to role model the importance of gender equality, and equal and respectful relationships. This is essential to enable women to live free from all forms of violence.

Member for Thomastown, Bronwyn Halfpenny helped us celebrate the day (which falls on 8 March each year) by speaking about some of the issues currently facing women in our community. She also highlighted the importance of local organisations working together to raise awareness of violence against women, and uniting to ensure we all work towards gender equity to end gender-based violence.

Unfortunately, the cities of Hume and Whittlesea have the highest and the second highest rates of reported family violence in the North West Metropolitan area. An identified factor driving this violence against women and children is gender inequality and the acceptance of negative gender stereotypes.

In response, DPV Health is continuing to work in addressing this unacceptable situation. The Your Story, Your Lens smartphone film-making project is working with youth in Whittlesea and Hume to explore their experiences of gender through short stories and film; we are also supporting the implementation of Respectful Relationships within school settings and are heavily promoting and encouraging women’s participation in sport.

In July, we will kick off an internal project to align our workforce to the Our Watch Gender Equity Standards. This will support our vision for DPV Health to be regarded as active champions of gender equity in the Northern suburbs.