World Mental Health Day 2023: Supporting Mental Health at Home from Right at Home Solent
Right at Home Solent support Mental Health at Home in Southampton, Fareham and Gosport
Published: 10/10/2023
Right at Home Solent Support Mental Health
The 10th of October is World Mental Health Day; it's about raising awareness of mental health and driving positive change for everyone's mental health. It's also a chance to talk about mental health, how we need to look after it and how important it is to get help if you are struggling.
The theme for 2023 is 'Mental Health is a universal human right'. This is to address inequalities in Mental Health and work towards good Mental Health for all, not just some.
Men's Mental Health
After discussing World Mental Health Day with our Mental Health First Aider, Ali, we decided to raise awareness about men's mental health. Although the reported level of common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression are lower than in women, it's widely thought that this is a misrepresentation and underestimation of the actual figure. Men's symptoms often go unrecognised and undiagnosed; 'feminine' signs of mental health problems are more likely to be recognised in mental health assessments, whilst men's symptoms are more likely to get them in trouble with the criminal justice system.
It is easy to overlook men's mental health; many of our male CareGivers are funny, joking, bubbly and seemingly happy. What if they're just too embarrassed to talk? Right at Home Solent considers its employees' well-being and mental health highly; we must look after our CareGivers so that they can look after your loved ones. We do this by regularly catching up with all our CareGivers to check on them and talk, to let them know we're here. We send handwritten postcards to our CareGivers to thank them, congratulate them or just let them know we are thinking about them. We hold focus groups and reviews to give CareGivers a chance to feedback, vent and talk to other CareGivers and office staff. No one judges at Right at Home Solent.
Looking after our staff and CareGivers also means we are in a better position to look after our Clients, not just physically but to look after their Mental Health too. It's even harder to get older generations of people to talk about their Mental Health, but it doesn't mean it's not there.
Find out what impact loneliness can have from our Managing Director, Kev Popat - what physical impact do you think loneliness may have?
Raising Awareness for Solent Mind
Our Fareham Office is home to our Office Manager and 'Mental Health First Aider' Ali, who is forever on hand to talk to; she'll always make time for you and is only a phone call away. Ali recently raised money for Solent Mind with one of our Care Coordinators, Mark, by abseiling the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. As a company, we often support various charities, including Mental Health charities such as SolentMind, as we believe in raising awareness of their cause and giving back to the community.
With 3/4 of deaths registered as suicide in England and Wales in 2019 being men, we need to change how we approach Mental Health with different types of people. Men aged 45 to 49 were in the highest percentage of suicides. Reasons for this are complex, but financial insecurity and debt are strongly associated. Men are less likely to seek help; reasons include the stigma surrounding mental health, not wanting to be told they are mentally ill, and that they wouldn't know where to start looking. Let's break the stigma together. It's essential to keep talking about Mental Health, especially those that feel they can't.
Tips for Talking about Your Mental Health
- Choose someone you trust;
- Choose someone you're comfortable talking to, whether a friend, family member or professional.
- Think about the best place to talk;
- Find somewhere you're comfortable opening up; this might be a private, quiet space, or you might prefer finding an activity to do together. Walking and talking can be a helpful strategy for many people to open up.
- Prepare yourself for their reaction;
- There's a chance they may not react in the way you think or hope. This may be that they are worried or don't fully understand. Give them time to process what you've told them, and don't forget to be kind to yourself.
Mental Health Services and Links in Southampton & Fareham
Here are some helpful links for activities and services in Fareham, Gosport and Southampton areas:
https://www.mayfieldnurseries.org.uk/our-services/mayfield-mens-shed/
Every Thursday at 10 a.m. at Mayfield Nurseries, Southampton. Men's Shed is for all ages and allows men to enjoy solitary activities together and socialise whilst doing a hobby. Women are welcome to this event, but it is designed for men. There was found to be an 89% decrease in depression in men since joining a Men's Shed.
https://mangang.org
A chance for men to meet up and socialise, talking about Mental Health and breaking the stigma in Southampton. They meet at 6:30 p.m.
https://www.solentmind.org.uk/support-for-you/our-services/fareham-and-gosport-wellbeing-service/
General well-being services and activities in Fareham and Gosport, including anxiety management, mindful colouring, and socialising groups.
https://andysmanclub.co.uk
With locations across Southampton, Fareham, Gosport and the rest of the UK, Andysmanclub is a men's suicide prevention charity that aims to create a judgment-free, confidential space for men to open up.
There are other services, charities and groups providing Mental Health support in Southampton, Fareham and Gosport, often for free. The first step is always the hardest, but talking is crucial.
Mental Health with Right at Home Solent
We're always discussing new ways to support each other at Right at Home Solent. World Mental Health Day prompted a conversation in our team meeting about eye contact being a potential barrier for people to feel comfortable opening up. Eye contact could add additional pressure to the person, or an awkward environment. Instead, you could try going for a walk or a drive.
Office Manager and 'Mental First Aider' Ali is always on hand for our CareGivers, Staff, Clients and their loved ones. Just give her a ring or pop in and have a cuppa, or even a walk.
