By Staff
May 5th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Timely – very timely.
With the province locked down while we deal with a pandemic that has infected tens of thousands and been the cause of death for tens of hundreds the city is offering advice and direction on how to better prepare for what we are going through.
The focus is on the young people, partly because this is National Youth Week.
The theme for the Emergency Preparedness initiative is “Putting on your resiliency backpack” and being prepared.
The best thing residents can do to protect themselves and the community is stay home, practice physical distancing and use online tools for social connectedness.
In an emergency, protecting yourself from mental stress and harm is just as important as protecting yourself from physical harm.
Within the web site page burilngton.ca/covid19resources, there are several organizations offering mental health supports and resources across the City. Many workplaces also offer similar resources and supports through workplace employee assistance programs.
One of the largest law firms in the country is sponsoring a Mental health in the age of dramatic change and uncertainty event.
Tips for protecting your mental health
Be aware of your thoughts and feelings. It is normal to feel anxious- Limit the news you are watching or reading and ensure it is from a reliable news source
- Reach out to friends and family through phone calls, video chats, texts
- See resources and supports offered through burlington.ca/covid19resources
- Keep healthy habits: eat healthy foods, stay active, get a good night’s sleep, drink water
- Limit, reduce or avoid alcohol, drugs and caffeine
- Take advantage of your employer’s employee assistance programs for mental health
Stress and anxiety can be high for youth during emergency situations, too. Many youths are working the front lines at grocery stores, restaurants and delivery. They are at risk and they feel at risk – and many of them wonder – does anyone care?
There are organizations, resources and supports to support youth mental health in Burlington such as the Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK).
ROCK has put together resources and suggestions to help support children, youth, and families at this time of uncertainty. They are committed to live answering phone calls from the hours of 9 – 5 p.m. each business day. Families will have the ability to speak directly to a ROCK staff person. They have also created the opportunity to connect families to a pathway coordinator staff who will assess and support connection to brief virtual consultation services.
REach them in a number of ways:
rockonline.ca
Main Line: 289-266-0036
Crisis Line: 905-878-9785 – 24/7
Youth are also invited to participate in the No Socks for Ivan daily challenges, which can be found on No Socks for Ivan’s Instagram page at burl_youthvoice. Daily challenges include posting about binge-worthy shows, books, shout-outs to essential and front-line workers, dance moves, athletic feats and more.
The Mayoris certainly onside pointing out that “There’s no better time than now to explore the issues around emergency preparedness and mental well-being. The City’s new webpage provides a wealth of information on supports and resources, and I am so impressed at how dozens of organizations from across our community collaborated to put this information together in such a short time. We are all facing resiliency challenges right now and we need these amazing local supports more than ever. I am thankful for the great work they continue to do to help our residents in these trying times.”
Amber Rushton, now the Community Emergency Management Coordinator, a who happens to have a lot of experience organizing communities and projects that take place in those communities saiid: “As we reflect this week on the importance of emergency preparedness and mental health and wellness, I ask that individuals, family members and friends of all ages across our community reflect on one vision: Putting on your resiliency backpack. What could you put in yours? How could you fill your neighbours? How could you fill your family members or your friends?
“These are unprecedented times and it’s still important to be prepared and take care of ourselves, which includes physical distancing, healthy habits and reaching out for health and mental health resources. Remember: in community we persevere, taking the right steps each day toward a more resilient tomorrow. Stay healthy and be kind to one another. You are not alone.”
Links
- Youth Week: burlington.ca/youthweek
- Mental Health Week: mentalhealthweek.ca/
- Emergency Preparedness Week: burlington.ca/epw
COVID-19 Links and Resources
- For further COVID-19 information, including where to get tested, please visit Halton Region Public Health halton.ca/coronavirus
- COVID-19 Resources: burlington.ca/covid19resources
- Residents can stay informed at burlington.ca/coronavirus as well as on our social media channels: @cityburlington on twitter and facebook.com/cityburlington
- Questions about the cancellation of Recreation programs can be directed to rentals@burlington.ca or liveandplay@burlington.ca or 905-335-7738
- Government of Ontario: ontario.ca/coronavirus
- Government of Canada: canada.ca/coronavirus
- World Health Organization: who.int
- Joseph Brant Hospital: josephbranthospital.ca/covid-19
