This May marks the 70th year of celebrating Mental Health Month by Mental Health America (MHA). To help celebrate, the Dallas County Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions is expanding on its 2018 focus and raising awareness about the connection between physical health and mental health through the theme #4Mind4Body.
Mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being, and mental illnesses are common and treatable, according to Karen Hildreth, RN, program director of Senior Life Solutions at DCH. So much of what we do physically impacts us mentally, she said, so it is important to pay attention both to our physical health and our mental health, which can help us achieve overall wellness and set us on a path to recovery.
“We are exploring the topics of animal companionship, spirituality and religion, humor, work-life balance, recreation and social connections as ways to boost mental health and general wellness,” Hildreth said.
A healthy lifestyle can help to prevent the onset or worsening of mental health conditions, as well as chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and obesity, she said. It can also help people recover from these conditions.
For those dealing with a chronic health condition and the people who care for them, it can be especially important to focus on mental health. When dealing with dueling diagnoses, focusing on both physical and mental health concerns can be daunting — but critically important in achieving overall wellness.
“There are things you can do that may help,” Hildreth said. “Finding a reason to laugh, going for a walk with a friend, meditating, playing with a pet or working from home once a week can go a long way in making you both physically and mentally healthy.”
She said the company of animals — whether as pets or service animals — can have a profound impact on a person’s quality of life and ability to recover from illnesses. Pets can be a source of comfort and can help us to live mentally healthier lives.
Spirituality is also important and whether you go to church, meditate daily or simply find time to enjoy that cup of tea each morning while checking in with yourself, it is important to connect with your spiritual side in order to find that mind-body connection.
Hildreth said Senior Life Solutions wants everyone to know that mental illnesses are real, and recovery is always the goal. Living a healthy lifestyle may not be easy but can be achieved by gradually making small changes and building on those successes.
“Finding the balance between work and play, the ups and downs of life, physical health and mental health, can help you on the path towards focusing both #4Mind4Body,” she said.
For more information, visit the MHA’s Mental Health Month website. Dallas County Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions is an intensive outpatient group therapy program designed to meet the unique needs of older adults over the age of 65 who are struggling with symptoms of depression and anxiety often related to aging. Family members, physicians or other health professionals can refer individuals to the program.
For more information, call Senior Life Solutions at 515-465-7580.
