SIG participated in the just concluded Mental Health Awareness Week – here is a snapshot of the week’s activities.
Biscot House
Biscot House decided on an afternoon away from the project with a kickabout in the park and picnic. Unfortunately, due to very wet weather, getting out to the park was not possible so they decided to have the picnic indoors and have a chat over lunch.
Two residents participated in the picnic and lots of discussions over a wide spectrum were had, often discussing mental health without realising it.
The kickabout will be rescheduled and could become a regular activity in the future
Bridge House
Staff at Bridge House held a pamper afternoon with residents, to give the mums a relaxing afternoon where they could de-stress and have some time doing something nice for themselves.
Staff and residents made homemade face masks with natural products; one with honey, oats, yogurt, and lemon for exfoliating and reviving dull skin and one with avocado, yogurt, and kiwi for combination skin. Not only was this about learning how to make masks on a budget from everyday items in the house, but also learning and understanding the benefits of some foods, such as honey, which has antiseptic healing properties.
One resident said: “Looking good and feeling good helps with mental health and self-esteem.”
After the pamper session, everyone sat together for a lunch of tuna pasta.
All residents were gifted a hair mask treatment to use in the evening once the children were in bed.
The morale in the house was very positive and shows that a little self-care can go a long way to support mental health and wellbeing.
Enfield
The Enfield service got together with the Enfield Community Rehab Team (ECRT), who they work in partnership with, and organised a party for residents at Enfield. It was a good opportunity for staff and service users to sit and socialise as a team.
Four service users helped staff from the ECRT put together a gazebo, just in case there was rain. The psychologists commented on how well they worked as a team and how proud they were with the effort put in to working collectively to get the job done. Amongst the participants was a service user who struggles on a day-to-day basis to get out of their flat and interact/socialise.
It was a very happy and proud moment to see these service users come together and go that extra mile and push themselves for a positive cause. A garden party where food, drinks and music were provided, was a great opportunity in an informal setting for staff to speak with and understand how each service user feels and what goals they would like to achieve for the future.
This party also provided the opportunity for new members of the ECRT to introduce themselves to the service users they will be working with closely and learn how best staff can support them during their time with Enfield.
There were seven service users in attendance and the party provided an opportunity to socialise in a fun and safe environment.
All in all, it was a great outcome for all.
Read the full blog post here.
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This content was created by Social Interest Group