Make Every Contact Count - Wellbeing Network

Most agree that giving to others is a good idea however giving to others has a knock on effect on ourselves by improving the givers mental wellbeing.

Most agree that giving to others is a good idea however giving to others has a knock on effect on ourselves by improving the givers mental wellbeing.
From small acts of kindness to volunteering, giving can give you a sense of purpose, community and connectedness.
Sometimes we think of our wellbeing in terms of what we have; our income, car, home or job. Evidence shows that what we do and the way we think has the biggest impact on mental wellbeing.
Positive mental wellbeing means feeling good about yourself and the world around you and being able to get on with your life.
Helping and supporting others and working with others towards a shared goal is good for our mental wellbeing. A 2003 study in 373 older adults found that some aspect of wellbeing were higher in those who did volunteer projects compared with those who did not.
Scientists have shown that giving to others can stimulate the reward areas in the brain helping to create positive feelings. Helping others also gives a sense of purpose and feelings of self-worth.

Evidence show that good relationships with family, friends, colleagues and the wider community are important for mental wellbeing.

Many of us would like to spend more time with the people who are most important to us but sometimes life just gets in the way of that. We must make time to connect with the people that matter to us. By nurturing these relationships we feel happier and more secure, giving a better sense of purpose.
A 2002 study of 222 students in the US found that the happiest amongst the group had stronger social relationships than those who were less happy.

Some tips to stay connected:

Make time each day to connect with your family, friends and colleagues. This could include ‘family time’ that is a fixed time to connect each day.
Arrange a day out with friends you may not have connected with recently. Most people connect on social media sites like Facebook but a face to face contact spending your time with your friends is so much more meaningful and beneficial than a “like” or “comment” on Facebook.
Reduce your screen time when you are in company. Put the phone away, close your laptop, turn off the TV and have a chat.
Try connecting with someone new today. Talk to the person beside you on the train or in the shop. This conversation may mean even more to the person you connect with than you realise.
Leave your desk for your lunch and sit with a colleague catching up on non-work matters.
It can be as simple as a smile at a passer-by.

Learning new skills is both useful and it can also positively affect our mental wellbeing. Learning means different things to everyone. To some it will be a new qualification and to others it will be learning a new recipe in the kitchen.

Learning new skills is both useful and it can also positively affect our mental wellbeing. Learning means different things to everyone. To some it will be a new qualification and to others it will be learning a new recipe in the kitchen.
Evidence shows that continuing to learn throughout life can help improve and maintain our mental wellbeing.
Mental Wellbeing means feeling good about yourself and the world around you and being able to get on with your life the way you choose.
In 2004 a study interviewed 145 adults about learning throughout life and various aspects of their health and wellbeing. It found that people who involved themselves in more learning reported feeling higher self-esteem, a greater ability to cope with stress, and more feelings of self-confidence, hope and purpose.
Setting goals and working towards them plays an important part in the way learning influences wellbeing. Many forms of learning involve contact with others which connects us to our communities and peers.

It is easy to rush through daily life without stopping to notice much. Paying attention to the present moment – to our own thoughts, feelings and to the world around you can improve your mental wellbeing.

Taking Notice is also called Mindfulness. It is easy to incorporate mindfulness into your life and can be a very powerful tool if learnt and practiced daily.
Mental wellbeing means being feeling good about life and yourself and having the ability to get on with life in the way you want.
Many think about wellbeing in terms of what you have; your income, car, house or job. Evidence shows that what we do and the way we think have the biggest impact on wellbeing.
To Take Notice is to notice the sights, smells, sounds and tastes you experience as well as your thoughts and feelings that occur from one moment to the next.
It’s easy to lose touch with the way our bodies are feeling and to end up living in our heads. An important part of Taking Notice is to reconnect with our bodies and the sensations they are experiencing. It can be something as simple as the feel of your knife and fork in your hands.
Most of us have issues we find hard to let go of and mindfulness can help us deal with them more productively. Awareness of this kind also helps us notice signs of stress or anxiety earlier and helps us deal with them better.

Being active is great for your physical and mental wellbeing. Evidence proves there is a link between being active physically and good mental wellbeing.

Mental wellbeing means feeling good about yourself, about the world around you and having the ability to get on with life in the way you want.
Being active doesn’t mean you need to train for a marathon. You need to find physical activity that you enjoy and can fit into your daily/ weekly routine. This may be a daily walk to the shops instead of taking the car, a weekly gardening session, some yoga, swimming or a weekend walk.
Scientists confirm physical activity can help maintain wellbeing and good mental health in a number of ways:
Physical activity helps with mild depression. Evidence shows it can protect people against the onset of depression and anxiety.
Physical activity causes a chemical change in the brain which can help change our mood.
Physical activity brings about a sense of greater self-esteem, self-control and the ability to rise to a challenge – all of which help improve wellbeing.

Make Every Contact Count

Making Every Contact Count is a blended learning programme to support staff to have conversations with patients on the lifestyle related risk factors for chronic disease. It is part of the Integrated Care Programme for the Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease.

Elements of Making Every Contact Count
1. The online component covers the knowledge aspects of physical activity, healthy eating, tobacco and alcohol.
2. The workshop component covers the brief intervention practice skills.
3. All those who attend will receive a signposting and support pack.

To complete Making Every Contact Count

1. Complete the 6 x 30 minute online modules before attending the workshop (Search Making Every Contact Count on www.hseland.ie to find the online learning)

See below guidelines for booking on the workshop.

2. Log onto www.hseland.ie and paste the following bold text into the search bar MECC Enhancing your Skills Workshop, Face to Face Cork Kerry Community Healthcare.

3. Scroll down through the list of workshops to find a workshop

Please note workshops can be run onsite for groups of 9 or more staff.

Additional Information

Why Making Every Contact Count is Important in the Health Service?
The Healthy Ireland Study 2022 found that 31% of the total population have a long-standing illness or health problem increasing to 53% of those aged 65 and older. This equates to approximately 1.3 million people in Ireland living with at least one chronic disease including diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or cardiovascular disease.

What is Making Every Contact Count?
During routine consultations with patient’s healthcare staff are having structured patient centered conversations with patients about their lifestyle related risk factors for chronic disease including alcohol, tobacco, physical activity and health eating. Link to a brief video explaining Making Every Contact Count https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyYOKPpFqlU
A blended learning programme to support staff Making Every Contact Count

To support staff having these conversations a blended learning programme is available on www.hseland.ie including:
• 6 x 30 minutes online knowledge modules
o Introduction to Behavior Change,
o Tobacco Free,
o Alcohol and Drug Use,
o Get Ireland Active,
o Healthy Food for Life,
o Skills into Practice

• 3.5hrs Enhancing Your Brief Intervention Skills Workshop.

What CPD Points does Making Every Contact Count Accrue?

The training programme has post-registration Category 1 (CEU) approval from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), the Irish Association Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)

NMBI Credits
· eLearning: 3 CEUs

· Workshop: 3.5 CEUs

IACP and CORU
For health and social care professions registered with CORU and IACP, CPD credits are awarded on the basis that one hour of learning is equal to one CPD point. Participants now self-appoint their CPD points.

Make Every Contact Count E learning

Blended E Learning Program

Maire O'Leary

087 123 4025

mairem.oleary@hse.ie