AllWays Insider

There’s no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on our mental health and made certain aspects of daily life more challenging on many levels. To better understand the pandemic's impact on health, we recently asked members of our online AllWays Community about their coronavirus-related concerns, feelings, and habits. We’re sharing those results with you today.

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, many employers have implemented both voluntary and mandatory work-from-home policies for their employees. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continuously reminds us, telecommuting is an important step in “flattening the curve” of potential new infections.

As many states and cities implement stay-at-home protocols and individuals are quarantined with symptoms or potential exposure, staying well, both mentally and physically is everyone’s key priority.  Whether you are a parent, caregiver or just trying to get through the day, here are some tips for dealing with your mental health, helping your child learn ways to manage stress, and helping support the older adults in your life during a quarantine.

The information included in this post is provided by Optum®, AllWays Health Partners’ behavioral health partner.

With the devastating effects of opioid use in daily headlines, you don’t have to look too far to see that the opioid crisis is a serious and troubling problem here in the United States. It’s clear that no family or community is immune, and that includes employers and their workplaces. But, by understanding the problem and working with the health plans they offer, employers can help employees prevent, manage, and recover from opioid addiction.

While there is the occasional exception (like Boston’s recent record-breaking 74-degree day), the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere are typically full of cold weather, short days, and little sunlight. These three factors can contribute to sadness, decreased energy, and stress, and even lead to a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).