WORKPLACE WELLNESS – PART 3
[This is Part 3 of a 4-part series.]
Welcome to Part 3 of a 4-part series on Workplace Wellness. As we continue to transition back to the office, or continue to work from home, we encounter new challenges, but some have great benefits.
Telehealth
Telehealth is a noun and is defined as:
“A system that uses internet and telecommunications technology to provide a wide range of healthcare services, like telemedicine, education, patient care management, and remote monitoring of vital signs: Telehealth offers patients feedback that is more immediate than a traditional office appointment.” (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/telehealth)
Telehealth is further defined in the online medical dictionary as:
“A generic term for remote delivery of healthcare by a range of options, including by landline or mobile phones and the internet. Telehealth can improve patients’ experience by reducing the need to travel to the hospital when remote monitoring (e.g., ECG) and videoconferencing is equally effective and cheaper. It has already been used to manage patients in dermatology, cardiology, and neurology.”
(https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/telehealth)
Telehealth is something new to many of us who are used to traditional doctor’s office visits. But those that have taken advantage of telehealth may have found some surprising advantages. From my own experience, I didn’t have to leave home and drive in traffic and find parking. I didn’t have to plan my day around the doctor’s appointment. I didn’t have to put the appointment on the office calendar and add time before and after to accommodate driving to and from the appointment. I just had to give myself at least 5 minutes to get ready for the appointment – all from the comfort of my home office.
Many older adults found many advantages in using telehealth options with their healthcare providers. For more information go to:
Mental Wellness
Telehealth has also become a part of mental wellness. The downside to this pandemic is that it created or exacerbated mental health issues such as depression, loneliness, stress, feelings of isolation, apprehension in general and about the virus, and difficulty sleeping. Therapists made adjustments and are able to provide services via the internet or by telephone, or other telecommunication devices to conduct sessions from their homes. https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/teletherapy.html
Promoting awareness and providing resources in the workplace can help create a healthier workplace environment. Some examples of resources that employers can provide are offering incentives to reinforce healthy behaviors and providing social support networks. Other resources may include self-assessment tools, lifestyle coaching, material, flyers, videos, and workshops available to all employees for free or at a low cost. Mental Health in the Workplace (cdc.gov)
Improving and managing mental health and stress in the workplace will benefit the employee, the employer, the workplace, and family life in general. Take time to assess what your workplace may need and reach out to someone if you need assistance. Remember, you are not alone. We are all in this together.
Financial Wellness
Financial wellness may be one of the greater stressors in our lives. The number one cause of stress is personal finances. This includes the day-to-day managing of monies to meet basic needs. Resorting to using monies from retirement funds or skipping healthcare visits or preventative healthcare measures are some areas that are tapped into for monies for another use. Living paycheck to paycheck, adjusting to working from home, reduction in income, managing children’s needs, and overall management of the family structure all affect financial wellness. https://theolsongroup.com/15-numbers-financial-wellness-in-the-workplace/
Potential solutions are to establish a reliable income source, consider a debt payoff plan, and create a budget. How Do You Achieve Financial Wellness? [Why It’s Important] (investedwallet.com)
This is not an easy subject to write about. The words on paper do not touch on the true issues affecting many during this pandemic, nor are there easy solutions. One recommendation is to check into your community resources. Nearby food banks, churches, and other non-profit organizations may be able to provide the necessary resources to assist you. If your financial wellness is a stressful issue, please take time to check out your community resources because financial wellness is part of the big picture.
In the final part of this series, we will explore stress and discuss personalized wellness.
Here are links to review the two previous posts:
Categorized in: General
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