Benefits of Supportive Care

This is what it feels like when you are under stress, anxiety, and burnout. The sun is out but you can’t see clearly. You feel foggy. ————————- Your system floods with the hormone cortisol. High doses of cortisol creates this: - you don’t think as clearly - you don’t sleep well - your eating and drinking habits change - you have a reduced ability to manage emotions - you isolate How do you lift the fog? —————————— Self-care will teach you to look inward to better understand these emotions and name them. And that’s important. However it can leave you in the fog. You still feel alone. It’s Supportive-Care that moves you forward by processing your cortisol induced symptoms with others who walk with you through the fog. Allowing the stress reducing hormone oxytocin (the human-bonding hormone) to be released. Oxytocin overpowers cortisol. That is what lifts the fog. It’s how our body is wired to reduce stress. ———————————————- So for leaders and parents thinking that your employee/child/friend can clear this fog with their therapist and some self-care alone. Think again. The fog clears when the most important people in our lives show care and support. That is you - leaders, managers, bosses, parents, professors, classmates, friends, lawyers, doctors, and even strangers. Your care and support is what is needed to fully lift that fog. Without it people are left feeling unseen, unheard, undervalued, and uncared for. Leaving fog and stress. ————————————- You have the power to lift the fog. You are needed to lift the fog. There is a lot of fog out there. #ShowingUp #SupportiveCare #MentalHealth #CaringLeadership

As a behavioral scientist and founder of Fit Minded Inc, a company that helps health and wellness businesses apply science for business growth, I’ve spent a lot of time talking about ripple effects. The idea that what works for one person, in one part of their life, can quietly, powerfully, reshape other parts too. In a recent study we published this week in JMIR Publications Pediatrics and Parenting, offers a powerful reminder of just how far those ripples can reach. We looked at more than 6,500 caregivers of youth receiving mental health care through Bend Health. What we found is something every working parent probably knows deep down: when your child is struggling, it affects everything. Your energy. Your sleep. Your ability to focus at work. Your mental health. But here’s what’s encouraging: it works the other way too. After just one month of care, nearly three-quarters of caregivers who had been missing work due to their child’s mental health reported fewer missed days. Half of those who started with high burnout saw it improve. And by the end of their child’s care, 69% of caregivers reported reduced burnout and 87% missed fewer days of work. In other words, when kids get the help they need, parents do better too. This is the kind of insight that’s too often missing from conversations about mental health, especially in the workplace. We talk a lot about employee well-being, but we tend to miss the family system behind the individual. Caregiver mental health is workforce mental health. And mental health support that reaches the whole family isn't a soft benefit. It’s a strategic one. 👉 Link to the full press release in the comments. #mentalhealth #behavioralscience #caregiverburnout #workplacewellbeing #pediatricmentalhealth #digitalhealth #healthtech #sciencebacked #employeeexperience #caregiversupport #leadership #healthinnovation

Caregiving is an often-overlooked responsibility that many take on to support loved ones, whether it’s a spouse, child, sibling, or friend. Informal caregivers play a crucial role, providing emotional, physical, and sometimes financial support. Yet, despite the demands, they often have limited access to resources and support for themselves. We recently completed a case study on Informal Caregiver Support Groups to understand how structured group settings can benefit those caring for others. This study dives into the types of support and resources provided within these groups—from emotional resilience techniques to practical resources for managing daily caregiving challenges—and explores the measurable outcomes for caregivers. Key findings from the study include improvements in caregivers' mental health, reduction in stress, and increased access to valuable community resources. We found that a supportive group environment not only enhances caregivers' well-being but also helps them feel less isolated and better equipped to manage their responsibilities. As caregiving continues to impact so many, the importance of accessible, community-driven support cannot be overstated. I’d love to hear your thoughts on supporting informal caregivers and what more we can do as a community to assist those providing care for loved ones. https://lnkd.in/ggwfpna7 #Caregiving #SupportGroups #MentalHealth #InformalCaregivers #CommunitySupport #HealthOutcomes #CaseStudy