At Beritaz Care, mental health is something we take very seriously when it comes to both our residents and staff. Today is World Mental Health Day, a day to spread awareness and start a conversation about mental health, with the aim of driving positive change for all of those who are facing mental health struggles.

Supporting our residents’ mental health is a key part of the care we provide. Our role is to ensure our residents are happy, comfortable and fulfilled, which we are only able to achieve through the close bonds our staff form with the residents. Our staff regularly take the time to sit down one-on-one with the residents to chat about how they are feeling and any worries they might have, we want the residents to always feel safe coming to us with their thoughts.

The activities programme we run within all our homes is heavily focussed on mental wellbeing, encouraging residents to engage in activities that will boost their mood. Our residents have different interests and needs, so our activities team plan varied activities to appeal to everyone. These activities can focus on things like relaxation, socialisation and reminiscence. We also encourage residents to engage in their favourite pastimes, often continuing with a beloved hobby they have enjoyed throughout their lives has a hugely positive impact on a resident’s wellbeing.

It is not only our residents’ mental health that we pay close attention to, we also work to ensure our staff have the support they need when facing their own mental health struggles. Their work can often be emotionally taxing, so we want to make sure that every member of our team knows they can come to us if they are finding things difficult and need a bit of extra support. We host regular team social activities which are great for staff wellbeing, it gives them a chance to have some fun together and take a break from the responsibilities of their roles.

At Beritaz Care, the wellbeing of both our residents and staff is at the heart of everything we do. We understand that communication is key to supporting mental health, and we do everything we can to make sure our residents and staff are comfortable talking to us, and each other, whenever they need to.