May is Mental Health Month. There is a lot of talk and awareness around mental health these days. Mental health treatment comes in all different forms. There is traditional treatment with doctors, prescriptions, counseling, and programs. While these things are great resources, they are not always necessary. There are simple ways to improve mental health at home.
Impact Mental Health through “Help”
HELP is a diverse word and can be used as a noun or a verb. With that in mind, there are two ways HELP can improve mental health of others.
Traditionally, and almost instantly, when one hears the word “help,” we think of the act of helping others. If we break that action down even further, help can be done in several different ways. We can monetarily help others directly or to certain groups and charities. We can physically help by volunteering our time with groups, charities, or individuals.
Helping Seniors in the Community
As a Medicare agent, and by being active in my community, I see numerous needs waiting to be met, especially in the senior community. If you know someone who lives alone or who does not have a lot of family or friends, please consider donating one to two hours of your time a week with them. Here are simple ways you can start to HELP the seniors in your life and in your community…
- Call to check on them
- Offer or show up to help around the house
- Drop off dinner to their home
I encourage you to not wait for someone to ask you for your help. The action of your attention and time given will tremendously boost their mental health and outlook.
The Power of Receiving Help
On the flipside is the gift of receiving help. Why is it so hard for us as individuals to ask for help and receive help gracefully? We feel that if we need or ask for help that we have somehow failed. This is absolutely not true! I encourage everyone who has given or offered help to recall the genuine happiness you felt when you got to the opportunity to be there for someone. When you are on the receiving end of the help, you are gifting the giver that true happiness. In return, you are getting help you need. Each person in this scenario is receiving a boost to their mental health!
Mental health is so important, and it is one that society, the medical community and Medicare are starting to talk about more often and pay more attention to. I encourage everyone to help someone when they can. I also like to remind people: it is not a sign of failure to receive or ask for help. When you realize you are gifting people the opportunity to help you, then receive the gift, you are two steps closer to improving your mental health.
Who can YOU offer your help to in your family or community?
How Can WE Help YOU?
We know how confusing Medicare can be, and we’re here to help! If you have questions about Medicare or need help with figuring out which plan may be the right one for you, let’s connect you with an agent who cares. Simply visit our Find Your Agent page for a list of our experienced Medicare benefits specialists and their contact information; or send us a general question by completing our website contact form. We look forward to the opportunity to help you!
