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Greetings from the CEO ~
It seems if you look hard enough on the web, you'll find that nearly every day, week, or month has been designated by some trade association or group with an "awareness" theme. Some may strike you as not having very broad appeal, like National Grilling Month, or Join Hands Day, or Great Outdoors Month. But some others should remind us of important issues that are too often forgotten. May brings two examples because it is both Mental Health Month and Older Americans Month. To some, these are somewhat unrelated issues. We often describe the challenges of aging as solely related to finances and failing physical health. However, increasingly, we at Family Continuity see that mental health remains an important issue for persons at every stage in life, including an individual's later years. And, like all individual challenges, these are important for the whole family as well.
Please, this May, take some time to consider your elder relatives. Check in with them, make sure that they are OK, not just physically, but also emotionally and socially. Your time and attention could be the most important gift you can give.
Regards,
Earl "Skip" Stuck |
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 The Family Corner
10 Tips for Improving the Mental Health of Older Adults
Maintaining mental wellness, enlisting the help of others when you need it and surrounding yourself with a supportive, healthy environment are essential in today's modern, on-the-go world. Spending time with family and loved ones, engaging in new activities and volunteering are just a few of the ways you can relieve stress and cope with everyday life. For even more ideas, read the list that follows.
- Get plenty of rest - Take frequent naps. Not only will they help calm your mind, but they can give you more energy. Make certain to devote a full seven to eight hours of sleep each night to sustain a proper balance of physical and mental health.
- Go for a walk - Regular exercise is an excellent way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Enjoying a long walk at a moderate pace allows you to reflect on your day while getting the blood flowing. For an added spin, invite family members and friends to join you for an evening stroll. During bad weather, complete laps inside a local mall or community center.
- Eat something new - Whether it's tackling a new recipe or re-inventing a traditional one, cooking is a great way to eat well and have fun in the process. Invite family and friends to join you once a week for dinner and take turns preparing meals. Kick off special events with a potluck dinner or host an evening filled with international cuisine.
- Exercise your mind - Challenge yourself with a jigsaw puzzle, solve riddles or read a good book. Even better, involve others with these activities by reading aloud to kids or helping them with homework at a local library, school or daycare center.
- Spend time with others - Spending time with family and friends is important. Reach out to someone you haven't talked to in a while and create new memories. Call on a friend or relative to join you as you run errands or complete routine, everyday activities. Doing things together is a great way to raise your spirits and engage those around you in your life.
- Indulge yourself - Sooth aching bones and wash away worrisome thoughts with a long bath or hot shower. Enjoy a healthy dessert, sip a cool glass of iced tea or juice when it's hot outside or curl up under a blanket and relax when it's cold.
- Stay in - Don't feel obligated to do everything asked of you. It is okay to say no. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, opt to spend time with yourself once in a while. Watch a movie, paint a personal masterpiece or organize a prized collection of keepsakes.
- Make the most of leisure time - Make plans with family members, loved ones and/or a tour group to visit a place you've always wanted to go. Join a club, start a new hobby or learn a new skill such as gardening, bird watching or dancing. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it's something that you truly want to do!
- Get involved - Volunteering is a great way to give back. Knowing that you have helped someone else can help you to feel better about yourself. Plus, sharing your time with others is a great way to get out and meet new people, with common goals and interests.
- Take things one at a time - It's easy to get caught up in the desire to do and experience new things, but having too much on your plate can be counter-productive. Try making a list. If possible, break large tasks into smaller, more manageable items that can easily be finished. Completing one thing at a time can lead to a greater sense of accomplishment and spur you to do even more!
For more on this topic, visit Mental Health America at www.mentalhealthamerica.net
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Legislative Update
An Act to Promote the Public Health Through Workplace Safety
for Social Workers, H592 and S1206
In 2008, Diruhi Mattian, a 53 year old social worker in Massachusetts, was killed by a 19 year old client during a routine home visit. In response to her death, NASW-MA, schools of social work, private agencies, and state agencies convened the Maximizing Social Worker Safety Task Force to address workplace safety for social workers. This legislation is a result of the work of this group and would require employers of social workers and human service providers to create safety plans for their workplaces and perform annual risk assessments relative to factors which may put social workers at risk of workplace assault, including case loads, working with clients with a history of violence, and working in high crime areas. The bill also requires agencies to have a crisis plan in place in the event of an incident. By addressing both prevention and crisis response, this bill holistically addresses workplace violence for all employees that provide these vital social services. Use the following links for additional information.
FACT SHEET: Social Work Safety in the Workplace 2011-2012
LEGISLATION: Social Work Safety in the Workplace |
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Real Stories
Chantelle's Story
"Supporting family success in every community" is our mission. But just how do you describe a family's "success"? This recent letter provides at least one family's answer.
Things don't get bad overnight, and unfortunately, they don't get better overnight either, as Chantelle will tell you.
"The past four years of my life have been very difficult and interesting. When I was growing up I thought that no one loved me in my family so I went to look for friends that I thought would love me like I was family. I hated when anyone told me what to do so I always blew people off. I started to run away from home and be disrespectful to my mother and not follow her house rules. My first day of high school I met with my friend and we thought it would be cool so I skipped my first day of high school. Later on in the school year I would skip school probably three times a week. My mother got sick of my actions and filed a CHINS but I still didn't listen. I was placed into detention at least four to five times. The judge also got sick of seeing me and called DSS. For the next 8 months I lived in a trailer with a foster mother and her daughter. I went to school, came home and stayed in my room. I had to go to a new high school. The kids were so different from me, I felt like I didn't belong there. During that summer I got to go home. I was excited. I behaved for a few months and then it started to go down hill again. I met this boy I was crazy about him. I never wanted to go home but he always made me go. But, also that same summer I started hanging out with some of my old friends.
Read More...
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Family Voice and Choice Conference
Thanks to the efforts of many, the Getting Real About Family Voice and Choice conference on March 22nd was an unprecedented success. The conference, co-sponsored by Family Continuity, PPAL, NFI and MAMFT sold out nearly two weeks early, with 268 attendees, professionals, parents, and youths from around the state. Its workshops received high praise, presented by many on our staff including Ann Beckert, Kathy McHugh, and Kristen Carbone from the Hyannis Flex Program and Erin Gallagher and Craig Maxim from the Whitinsville Clinic. The opening and lunch panel plenaries put a face on the stories of youth and families struggling with mental illness.
This success would not have been possible without the hard work and last minute adjustments of its planning committee led by Bob Kowalik, Robin Risso, Kevin Nicastro and Kathleen Englehardt.
Family Continuity was proud to have helped create and sponsor this wonderful event! Thanks to everyone involved. |
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Family Continuity's Mission Statement:
Supporting family success in every community by empowering people, enhancing their strengths, and creating solutions through partnerships to achieve hope, positive change and meaningful lives.
Agency Values: Family, Community, Advocacy, Leadership, and Change
Treatment Philosophy, founded on the belief that positive change is always possible:
* The most effective treatment provides a continuity of care, acknowledging that connected, relevant supportive services to clients/client families promote recovery, stability, self advocacy and permanency in the midst of changing needs.
* Therapeutic change occurs in the context of a dynamic treatment partnership between clients and helpers that is founded on choice, respect, honesty, and a shared responsibility for and participation in the development of solutions.
* Effective treatment is empowering and strength-based, recognizing that all clients possess resources for change and that change is possible when these resources are utilized.
* Creating meaningful lives starts with identifying goals and connecting that to individualized, flexible and creative treatment planning that incorporates a client's family/community relationships, culture, and context.
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