Self-care 💙

Encouraging our customers to practise self-care on a daily basis is a key element of our services

According to the World Health Organisation, the definition of self-care is:

‘the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote their own health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker’

Self-care is important to us all, and can be anything that helps us to take good care of ourseves, such as:

• brushing our teeth
• doing some exercise
• managing our health conditions
• taking appropriate medication
• attending medical appointments  

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As people get older, is very common that they stop doing activities that are important for both their physical and mental health, without realising the impact it is having on their quality of life. Their minds or bodies don’t work in the same way that they used to, and it’s very common that they lose confidence or interest in certain activities, and self-care stops being a priority.

Betty Parra, Deputy Manager at Bluebird Care Bournemouth & Poole is passionate about self-care:

"In our years of experience, we have seen customers neglecting their self-care due for a variety of different reasons. We understand that is not easy for them or their family & friends to realise that things are not what they use to be, and that there are times in life where it seems very difficult to maintain a good balance in terms of our own wellbeing. Very commonly, our customers deteriorate or go through a difficult period after experiencing the loss of a loved one, realising that their mental or physical abilities are not the same as before, or after a fall, an accident or a hospitalisation. Bringing focus back to the positives and looking after themselves again is sometimes a struggle.

We believe that helping our customers, even with small tasks, makes a difference to their wellbeing and their quality of life. Helping them with their personal care, reminding them to have a shower or helping them to dress; cleaning their house and allowing them to live in a place where they feel comfortable and happy; going out with them for a stroll or for a morning coffee; taking them to visit an old friend; prompting them to take their medication or taking them to see their GP. These things are sometimes taken for granted but it is a reality that they have a huge impact on our physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Encouraging our customers to practise self-care on a daily basis is a key element of our services - either by fully supporting them or just prompting them, but always allowing them to be as independent as possible. At the end of the day, our main goal is to support people to have the best possible quality of life"