The care coordination team at Friends Life Care began having more in depth talks about mental health during the height of the pandemic.  While care coordinators were always aware of the impact mental health had on their member’s wellness, they were seeing an increase in anxiety, stress, overwhelm, and depression as the pandemic waged on. 

Friends Life Care care coordinators seek to rise to whatever challenge their members face. They do so in order to provide the most effective resources to keep members feeling their best. And this situation was no different.  Motivated by the heart wrenching stories they were hearing from members, a number of coordinators gathered together. And the Mental Health Committee was formed. 

Dedicated to Mental Health Awareness & Help

This committee is dedicated to bringing awareness to the topic of mental health, aiding those who are struggling with mental health conditions as well as their loved ones and caregivers, and reducing the chances that our members experience negative mental or emotional health outcomes.

The committee is working diligently on tasks such as developing resource guides, redesigning Friends Life Care internal documents related to mental health, and planning self-care and stress reduction events for Friends Life Care members and staff.   

Favorite Apps for Seniors

In this post, some committee members will share their favorite mental health apps. The hope is these applications will help improve your mental and emotional health.  These apps are all free, though some have in-app purchase options.  Read on to learn about our favorite apps for stress, sleep and gratitude. 

Mindfulness Benefits & Apps

The effects of a mindfulness practice on mental health is now extremely well documented and researched.  Some benefits of the practice include increased well being, positive affect, and concentration.  Importantly, the benefits don’t stop with our mental health, they extend to our physical health. 

Research has found mindfulness can improve immune system function, boost sleep quality, and decrease blood pressure.  If you’ve been hesitant to get started, why not dip your toe in the water with some free apps that can guide you through a mindfulness practice.   

 

Vaia Lappas-Gilchrist practices mindfulness with the Insight Timer and Breathe2Relax apps.  She loves to start her days with mindfulness.  

Care Coordinator Erin Price manages stress with the Calm app.  

And Katelyn Schunkewitz works on mindfulness by using the Smiling Mind app.   

Sleep Apps 

The Sleep Foundation says that a lack of sleep can influence our moods and emotional reactivity.  This is one of many reason it is so important that we get our zzz’s!   

For Jen Arnold, the White Noise Lite app is an integral part of her bedtime routine. 

Gratitude Apps 

You may have been lectured as a child to “count your blessings”. And recent studies are finding that advice could benefit you!  Folks who practice gratitude seem to be happier.   

Katie Starrantino makes gratitude a daily habit with the Gratitude Jar app.  The app prompts you to include something you are grateful for each day, then sit back and watch your jar fill up! 

On a challenging day, you can give your phone a little shake and the gratitude jar will remind you of something you were grateful for in the past.   

Getting Started 

Explore these apps and see which feels like the best fit for you.  It doesn’t matter what app you use, all that matters is you get started! 

The care coordinators at Friends Life Care are committed to helping ensure members feel their best.  If you are interested in learning about resources to improve your mental or emotional health, don’t hesitate to connect with your care coordinator.  You can locate your coordinator’s contact information here.   

Contributed by: 

 Katie Starrantino, LCSW, M.Ed, CDP — Director of Wellness Initiatives
(she/her) 

Katie has been working in the medical field for over 10 years.  During this time she has assisted in meeting the psychosocial needs of individuals living with cancer, rehabilitation patients, nursing home residents, primary care patients and individuals with a dementia diagnosis. 

Katie is a licensed clinical social worker who holds a masters degree in social work from West Chester University.  In addition, she has a masters degree in human sexuality from Widener University.  She is a certified dementia practitioner. And she is also trained to teach the Alzheimer’s Association’s Person Centered Habilitation Training curriculum. 

Katie developed and carried out various wellness programs for non-profit organizations, aimed at keeping patients feeling their best. Katie enjoys forming relationships with her members and assisting to keep them to be happy and healthy. 

 

 

Friends Life Care is happy to share this post about mental health apps, written for the eMeetinghouse blog. Friends Life Care is a mission-driven nonprofit. And it has been helping older adults to thrive at home as they age. So connect with us if you have questions for one of Friends Life Care’s Plan Counselors on joining.  Or, if you are a member, for your Wellness or Care Coordinator. We’d love to hear your comments.