iAtoday

The statistics speak volumes: during their lifetime, one in three Canadians¹ will experience mental health issues.

The impacts of a loved one’s mental health challenges can also affect group plan members, both directly and indirectly.

That is why, on the World Mental Health Day on October 10, we took the opportunity to record a podcast with our subject-matter expert, Jennifer Boudreau, who spoke about how we can care for ourselves while caring for others.

Listen to the podcast Caring for someone with a mental health problem.

The caregiver’s challenges

Helping a loved one can be demanding. Stress, especially, can develop quickly and if gone unmanaged can lead to concerning issues such as insomnia, aches, fatigue, trouble focusing, etc.

Plan members can play a vital role in their loved one’s recovery by providing support. Caregiving as well as emotional and practical day-to-day support are, of course, all helpful.

But self-care is essential, which is why, in this podcast, we discuss how important it is for caregivers to attend to their own needs and respect their personal limits.

This episode will teach members about:

• Supporting someone who’s struggling with their mental health
• Strategies for managing their personal wellbeing
• The importance of resilience
• Resources and tools to help them through the process

Podcast release

We have included this new podcast with other mental health content for members, such as newsletters and a feature in My Client Space. You can also find it in the article “Your mental health is our priority” on our educational website and on ia.ca.

Since it will be featured in our October 21 communiqué, plan administrators will also be able to share it.

See the French version of the communiqué.