The Irish Heart Foundation is supporting workplace wellbeing day on Friday 01 May with a range of resources to help people stay heart healthy while working from home.
The coronavirus pandemic has changed just about every aspect of our lives from work to home and social interactions.
For those lucky enough to still have a job, working from home has become the new normal, while others may be struggling with the additional responsibilities of caring for older parents who are cocooning or have suddenly found themselves a new job as teachers to their children.
Nothing about the new normal is normal and that is why it is more important than ever to mind your wellbeing in work, whether that workplace is now the kitchen table or the makeshift “school” in the front room.
Workplace wellbeing day takes place on Friday 01 May and to mark the day the Irish Heart Foundation has launched a range of resources to help workers keep heart healthy irrespective of where their new normal has taken them.
From keeping active to eating well and minding your mental health the Irish Heart Foundation has a range of resources available to help you stay well at home. These activities are fun for the whole family and the Irish Heart Foundation has also developed a special ‘Lets Get Active’ programme to help kids remain healthy, happy and active at home.
" Setting goals and making small, positive, healthy changes can help us stay healthy in both body and mind, and it also helps to keep our hearts healthy,"
Marese Damery, Health Check Manager , The Irish Heart Foundation
While staying at home means we will have fewer opportunities to be physically active, it is still really important for our physical and mental health to keep as active as we can. Regular exercise improves your emotional and physical wellbeing while also reducing your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
Commenting on the importance of staying well at home on workplace wellbeing day, Marese Damery, Health Check Manager at the Irish Heart Foundation said, “Coronavirus has resulted in a very challenging and difficult time for everyone and many of us are still adjusting to this change. Setting goals and making small, positive, healthy changes can help us stay healthy in both body and mind, and it also helps to keep our hearts healthy.
“It may be by doing some gentle exercises, going for a walk, trying a new healthy recipe or connecting with someone. We hope you like our new resources and that they give you some ideas. If you have any concerns about your heart health you can talk to our nurses on our Support Line on Tel: 01 6685001.”
We are here for you
The Irish Heart Foundation’s nurse support line is available five days a week. Anyone living with heart disease and stroke who has concerns or questions about the coronavirus can contact the nurse support line on 01 668 5001 or support@irishheart.ie.
The Irish Heart Foundation’s new heart support group is on Facebook. Anyone who lives with heart failure or another heart condition or has a family member living with a heart condition can join here: www.facebook.com/groups/heartsupportnetwork/
The Irish Heart Foundation runs 21 stroke support groups and 5 heart failure groups around the country. All these groups have moved to telephone and online support. For more information, see https://irishheart.ie/get-support/.
