Compassion fatigue can be a serious occupational hazard for those in any kind of helping profession.
Below are tips and resources to ensure health care workers can maintain good mental health while providing care and assistance to residents.
Supporting Staff:
Some helpful tips when dealing with stress and anxiety include
eating well balanced meals, taking a walk or doing light
exercises at home, making time for activities that you enjoy,
calling your family and friends - talking to people you trust,
and taking a break from social media and the news -
unplugging during the day.
The following are some helpful numbers and additional resources that you could access.
- Ontario Mental Health helpline – Connex - 1-866-531- 2600
- Canadian Mental Health Association crisis help line 1- 833-456-4566 (24/7)
- CMHA Mental Health in the Workplace
The purpose of this Guide is to outline some key skills that managers in Ontario workplaces should have when presented with an employee who has a mental health concern. - WHO - Coping with stress
- CAMH - Mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic
- CMHA - Tips to support mental health
- CDC - Managing anxiety and stress
- Canadian Psychological Association – Fact Sheets.
- Combat Medics on How to Cope With Stress - Simon Sinek
https://theworkingmind.ca/healthcare-resourcesDiscover a library of resources and videos demonstrating best practices for supporting the mental health of healthcare workers during outbreaks.
Crisis Prevention Institute: Compassion Fatigue Symptoms and Strategies
The Cost of Caring: 10 Ways to Prevent Compassion Fatigue
SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions (2018)Supervisor Staff - Care Tips!
- Walk around the office/home to check in on staff and ask how they are doing that day or if they need anything
- Suggest that staff take mini breaks throughout the day to get fresh air, have a snack, stretch
- Engage staff in team huddles, meetings to debrief and allow for support of each other
- Empower staff to start their own staff support group
- Ensure that staff has opportunities for learning inside and outside of the work setting - feeling competent to do owns work reduces stress
- Give staff the tools and resources they need to do their jobs
- Celebrate individual and collective successes
Resources:
- Audio Exercises for Managing Stress and Anxiety
- Getting Grounded in the Present (3:46 mins): This exercise guides you through using your senses of sight, sound, and touch to practice focusing your awareness on the present moment. This is useful when you find your focus caught up in worry about the future, or thoughts about the past.
- Embodied Breathing (8:21 mins): This exercise uses mindful awareness and focuses on breathing to help you become more connected to body sensation and use breath to deepen a sense of relaxation. This is useful for managing and regulating emotions, releasing tension, and feeling more relaxed overall.
Printable:
- 5 Pathways for Healing Compassion Fatigue
- CTRI Blog Articles
- How to Support Someone Who’s Depressed
- 5 Tips for Supporting Anxious Children
- How to Find Credible Mental Health Information Online
- 4 Strategies for Building Psychological Resilience
- How to Manage the Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
- 6 Tips for Mindful Eating
- Mindfulness: 5 Easy Steps to Begin