This week is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. After the struggles we have faced in the UK and globally over the past few years, the topic of mental health is more important than ever. Mental Health Week is the perfect time to have a conversation about mental wellbeing and attempt to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health.

This year’s campaign is focussing on the subject of anxiety, a condition that impacts many people both physically and mentally. With the current cost-of-living crisis, more than one third of adults feel anxious about their financial situation. The Mental Health Foundation wants to increase people’s awareness and understanding of anxiety, as well as providing information on the things that can help prevent it from becoming a problem.

At Beritaz Care we are proud to support Mental Health Awareness Week. We take the topic of mental health very seriously and understand the responsibility we have, to care for the mental wellbeing of both our residents and staff.

We aim to establish a safe and supportive atmosphere within all our homes, so that residents feel comfortable sharing their concerns and feelings with our staff. Through dedicated one-on-one time and a compassionate approach, our staff are able to build close bonds with the residents. These bonds enable our staff to notice if there is something bothering an individual, or if they need additional support. We strive to create an environment where our residents feel comfortable talking about how they feel.

As an employer we always encourage our staff to prioritise their mental health and do anything we can to support them in this. We work with a Mentor and Business Psychologist to provide our staff with training and support on topics such as leadership and stress management. Our staff always have an open line of communication to the management within our homes and within Beritaz Care. They know they can always speak to someone if they are struggling in any way, need some extra help or simply if they want to talk, whether it is to do with their personal or professional lives.

There are some fantastic resources available through the Mental Health Foundation, to help those struggling with anxiety or other mental health conditions. To find out more about Mental Health Awareness Week and how you can get involved, visit https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week