The WHO, the Ministry of Health and the College of Psychology Professionals of Costa Rica, constantly remind Costa Ricans that the elderly are part of the population at risk for the new coronavirus (COVID-19). Among other measures, social distancing is requested in order to lower the contagion curve.
We usually think of care for the elderly when referring to a balanced diet, control of medication consumption, and care for chronic or temporary conditions, but what about mental health?
As a result, we have summarized a series of practical tips endorsed by the College of Psychological Professionals and the WHO. We hope they will be useful to you and your family:
01 Stay calm, do not disseminate news that are not from official media.
02 Practice solidarity, do not buy more products than you really need.
03 Maintain social distance, but keep constant communication with your loved ones. Take advantage of the technological facilities available.
04 Organize your time. Have a plan for each day at home: plan your wake-up time, daily activities, meal times.
05 Acknowledge your emotions and accept them. It's okay to be happy or smile all the time, but if you feel the need to share it, talk to someone else you trust, seek emotional support from family members and people close to you.
06 Practice empathy and help others if it is in your power to do so (without putting yourself at risk), there are people around us who are facing great personal difficulties.
07 Take advantage of the time at home to learn something new, something you always wanted to learn, the internet and books are an excellent way to learn something new.
08 Have fun at home, it can be a board game, watch a series or movie, see the possibilities.
09 Call a person you think might be lonely, not everyone has someone to talk to these days, try calling them and it might make you feel better.
10 See these moments as an opportunity for growth, meditate, do not waste the opportunity to spend more time with yourself. Remember, you are a valuable, interesting and unique person.
Your friends from Verdeza
#StayAtHome together we will defeat Covid-19
