“During crisis situations, it is important that we lean on each other for support as we are stronger as a collective than as a single individual,” says Dr. Matthew Boyle, psychiatrist. “Staying connected can also help family, friends, and those who are vulnerable, such as the elderly, feel less isolated.”

In a time when many people are consuming news about the pandemic throughout the day on various devices, Dr. Boyle says taking a break to socially connect can be beneficial to a person’s health.

“It can be hard not to always pay attention to the news during a pandemic but having some time when you can connect with others instead of focusing on the news can help from a wellness perspective,” explains Dr. Boyle. “Perhaps try spending at least one hour each day not checking news or emails, and instead, find a way to connect with friends and family. Social connections can be ways to help reduce stress – and that’s a great health benefit in a time like this.”

Here are some creative ways to connect with friends and family:

Play an online game: You can find apps to play board games, word games, or even work on jigsaw puzzles together virtually. Another way to utilize technology is to set-up video-conferencing where different households can see one another on their screens, and join in a visual game like Charades or Pictionary.

Online movie night: Find a time for friends to connect online and watch a movie together. For example, Netflix Party enables friends to watch its shows online, synchronize video playback and a group chat function. There are a variety of apps that can help you watch movies together but it may be easier to find the same movie, and for everyone to just hit ‘play’ at the same time to watch, and chat throughout the movie using text or another app. Find the app that works for you and your group, get the popcorn ready and start watching!

Write a letter: You don’t need technology with a good old-fashioned hand-written letter or card. It may not be immediate interaction, but it can be a nice way to let people know that you’re thinking about them. For those who don’t have a computer or access to technology, it is a way to keep in touch. If you’re on a short walk and the person lives nearby, you can drop the letter in their mailbox, or put a stamp on it and pop it into a nearby Canada Post box. Besides, who doesn’t enjoy getting mail that’s not a bill?

Catch up on a call:  Before video chats and texting, there was the telephone. Give a friend or family member to find out how they’re doing. You don’t always need to see each other on a screen. Sometimes it’s just nice to hear another person’s voice and have someone to talk to for a little while.

Digital coffee club: Grab a cup of java and make a virtual date with friends. While it’s not the same as meeting at your favourite coffee shop, getting cozy at home with a cup of coffee and making a plan for a video chat or phone call with friends can be something to look forward to. In a time where staying home is key, it’s a way to ‘catch up over coffee’ that can bring warmth and connection in more ways than one.

Hold a virtual social event: Technology can help bring people together to learn new things. Friends and family can get creative and hold an event online or join in over the phone. Perhaps each person in the group has a skill they can teach or demonstrate each week. Or maybe, it’s an opportunity for a group to join an online fitness group or e-learning class. “Our colleagues hold a weekly social event drop in that covers diverse topics such as yoga, karate lessons, mindfulness, sign language and beyond,” says Dr. Boyle. There are many options and ways to meet up virtually to learn together or just be social.

We are all finding new ways of connecting during the pandemic and it’s so important in maintaining our mental health and helping to reduce stress. Despite the physical distancing necessary for living in this new reality, it may be an opportunity to perhaps reconnect with loved ones on another level, and in a way, maybe even feel a little bit closer.

» Get more COVID-19 resources and updates from Sunnybrook at sunnybrook.ca/coronavirus

» Coping during the COVID-19 pandemic: mental health resources from Sunnybrook’s Department of Psychiatry

The post COVID-19: Ways to stay social despite the distance appeared first on Your Health Matters.

“We need to curb the peak of the pandemic, so it doesn’t overwhelm our health-care system,” Dr. Jerome Leis, medical director of infection prevention and control at Sunnybrook, told the Toronto Star in an interview last week.

What physical distancing means

Toronto Public Health defines physical distancing as avoiding close contact with others to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Measures you can take include:

• Staying home as much as possible by avoiding non-essential trips in the community
• Cancelling gatherings
• Working from home, where possible
• Conducting meetings virtually
• Keeping kids away from group settings

If you must go out, keep a six-foot distance from others. Why six feet? That’s about the maximum distance that droplets from a person’s cough or sneeze can travel, which is one of the ways the virus is spread.

Of course, physical distancing is not always possible, especially if you are someone who provides an essential service, such as a health care worker. However, you can still take precautions like practicing good hand hygiene, avoiding congregating in common areas like cafeterias, and not going to work if you are feeling ill or experiencing any symptoms.

System-wide pressures

To be clear, the concern is not solely because of the virus itself. The concern is the impact it can have on a healthcare system when hundreds or even thousands of these cases happen all at once, like what is currently happening in Italy and Spain.

While the reported mortality rate is low from the virus, what that does not reflect is the strain put on every other area of the healthcare system. Other people still need heart surgery, cancer treatment, dialysis or get into car crashes. How can you maintain the resources, supplies and manpower to continue taking care of those people, while at the same time dealing with a massive influx of people with respiratory illnesses and potential staffing issues?

It’s important that we learn from the current experiences of other these other countries. Slowing the rate of community spread will be helpful in our efforts to avoid a similar situation.

Dr. Rob Fowler, critical care physician and chief of the Tory Trauma Program at Sunnybrook, co-authored a study in JAMA last week that examined Canada’s readiness to care for an influx of patients requiring a ventilator.

In a recent interview with the Globe and Mail, Dr. Fowler said: “Canada, probably because of the SARS experience, is probably a bit more prepared than most places in the world. But there’s a very narrow sweet spot and it could easily be overwhelmed.”

Talking to your kids

Physical distancing applies to kids, too. With schools across the province closed for the next few weeks, kids may have a lot of questions, ranging from concerns about the virus to why their friend’s birthday party was cancelled.

Dr. Rachel Mitchell, a youth psychiatrist at Sunnybrook, told CBC in an interview this week: “obviously, the conversation you have with a five-year-old is not going to be the same conversation that you have with a 10-year-old, which is not the same conversation that you’re going to have with a teenager.” Read the full story with her recommendations here.

Keeping up with information

At first glance, it seems like there is a lot of conflicting information out there. I will be the first to admit that it’s challenging to keep up with the rapid pace at which information changes, and as a communicator, it’s my job to keep up.

However, information is changing so rapidly, many things you’ve read or heard are likely no longer relevant or accurate within a day or two. It’s not necessarily a matter of reading or hearing conflicting information. It’s a matter of whether you are reading or hearing the latest information. This is an important distinction.

If you are scrolling through social media and feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information on COVID-19, you are not alone. It’s easy to want to give up and tune it all out. If you can, identify a few trusted, reputable and credible sources to check back with frequently, such as canada.ca/coronavirus, ontario.ca/coronavirus and sunnybrook.ca/coronavirus.

What’s next?

While it’s difficult to predict what each day will bring, more stringent measures may need to be implemented as the situation continues to evolve.

As the number of cases increase across the country, it’s essential that we all continue to listen to public health directives and take them seriously: stay home as much as you can, wash your hands frequently and, of course, practice physical distancing. Our health care system depends on it.

The post Why physical distancing applies to you – yes, you appeared first on Your Health Matters.