Wellbeing for Life and health and care colleagues across Coventry and Warwickshire have created an interactive life map to encourage residents to think about their wellbeing milestones.
To help combat the effects of winter and the impact the pandemic has had, Wellbeing for Life and health and care colleagues across Coventry and Warwickshire have created an interactive life map to encourage residents to think about their wellbeing milestones.
The new life map is a one-stop self-help resource and shows residents how they can use the 5 Ways to Wellbeing, whatever age they are, and wherever they are on life’s journey with helpful signposting tips for support.
Surveys conducted by Coventry City Council (CCC) and Warwickshire County Council (WCC) following the last period of lockdown and school closures revealed some negative effects on people’s wellbeing including low mood, increased loneliness, higher alcohol intake and patterns of unhealthy eating amongst residents.
To ensure residents can take steps to protect themselves physically and mentally, we are working hard on initiatives and resources such as the new life map, to make sure Wellbeing for Life can be adopted and used by individuals for wellbeing benefits across our communities.
Evidence indicates that wellbeing is influenced through giving, being active, taking notice, connecting and learning. The wellbeing life map points to potential stressors and common events that individuals may experience at different stages across their life span and can help signpost and offer effective coping strategies at each stage, including where to access mental health support, advice on physical activity, and relationships. For instance, helping people think about living healthily could be recognising that their wellbeing needs a boost and where to access the most appropriate support for them, making changes to physical health that can aid their wellbeing.
Life is a delicate mix of emotions and feelings with sadness, pain, fear and anger, as well as happiness, and everyone reacts differently to life events. When emotions become hard to manage, they can affect everyday life, often detrimentally - this is when reaching out can help. It is hoped that residents can use this resource as a guide to help them shift their direction towards hope and optimism for the future.
Warwickshire County Council portfolio holder for Adult Social Care and Health, Councillor Margaret Bell, said:
“It is really important especially during the darker, winter months and these challenging times, that we pay close attention to our own wellbeing, and the wellbeing of those around us.
“There are many ways that we can all look after our own wellbeing and what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. That is why we have created the 5 Ways to Wellbeing life map to help people identify what stage they are at in life and what steps they might take to improve their physical and mental health by taking more care of themselves. Building small changes into daily routines can often have a big impact on overall wellbeing so no matter how small it may seem, just choosing to do one of the 5 Ways can make a huge difference to how you feel.
“There is a wealth of support available across Coventry and Warwickshire but it can be hard to know where to start or what to try, so I would highly recommend using our new life map as a starting point to help you on your journey to better wellness this winter.”
Coventry City Council portfolio holder for Public Health and Sport, Councillor Kamran Caan said: “I am really excited for this brand-new resource that will help our residents take control of their mental wellbeing and stay well this winter.
“That is why we are uniting with our partners on this interactive resource to remind people that they are not alone, but to help people know how to take care of themselves, providing them with all the tools and signposts to meet the challenges life throws at us. The timing of this is vitally important, with mental wellbeing often taking a dip during the winter months.
“I think the 5 Ways to Wellbeing has an important role to play in everyone’s life and shouldn’t be underestimated as a tool to boost wellbeing. I strongly encourage all residents to explore this wellbeing life map as it is all about self-help as a frontline resource with support services available for those that need further help across Coventry and Warwickshire.”
You can view the interactive life map and find out more about Wellbeing for Life and the 5 Ways to Wellbeing at www.wellbeing4life.co.uk/5waystowellbeingthroughlife.
For further information, advice and support for mental health and wellbeing in Warwickshire visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/mentalhealth and www.dearlife.org.uk.