Tips and tricks to enjoy summer
08 July 2020
08 July 2020
During the COVID-19 pandemic, you may find yourself coping with stress or anxiety, especially when combined with your day-to-day life as a caregiver. Here are a few tips to help you manage this during the summer season.
Outdoor activities are an excellent way to enjoy summer while limiting the risk of spreading the virus. Also, exposure to the sun will produce endorphins (stress-reduction hormones linked to positive emotions) and vitamin D, thus giving you a double dose of positive effects!
The Government of Quebec has recently announced that outdoor activities allowing a social distancing of 2 metres will be authorized this summer. This means that you will be able to partake in activities such as hiking, kayaking, camping, playing golf, as well as hunting and fishing within our beautiful province.
We all know how important sports are for our well-being. They allow us to maintain a healthy physical and mental balance and achieving this balance is all the more necessary in these challenging times as we attempt to enjoy summer without any added stress. It is also an excellent way to enjoy the warmer weather, since summer is the ideal season for outdoor activities. Bruno Baril, an emergency physician at the Charles-Lemoyne Hospital, takes this approach. Outdoor team sports are once again authorized in Quebec as of June 8, but only in a practice context. Other sports include swimming, tennis and soccer.
Activities such as cycling or jogging are and have always been authorized and allow you to blow off steam while constantly moving, thus avoiding physical contact. As Pierre Marchand, President of Soccer Quebec said: “Physical activities are by far the best medicine to improve our physical and mental health”.
It is also important to take time for yourself, to relax and to enjoy everything that summer has to offer. This can be done through activities such as meditation, yoga and reading, either inside or out. Also remember to listen to your emotions, set limits and take pleasure in activities such as listening to music, taking a walk or enjoying a hot bath. The Canadian Medical Protective Association has a toolkit filled with suggestions from health professionals to help you relax and even inspire you.
With the exception of special situations, summer activities will gradually resume and therefore be accessible this summer. That said, the resumption of activities must include the observance of protection measures to further reduce the risk of spreading. These measures include keeping a distance of two meters between each person, wearing a mask when practicing an activity with a risk of contact and washing your hands regularly. Observe these measures for your own health, but also for the health of your loved one. By doing so, we can ensure that we are gradually deconfining, and quietly returning to “normal” in the best possible conditions.
If you feel the need to share your concerns, do not forget that the Caregiver Support is there for you. Don't hesitate to contact us by phone, at 1-855-852-7784, or by e-mail, at info-aidant@lappui.org. Our professional counsellors are there to help you find tailored information and support.
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Contact our Caregiver Support Helpline for counselling, information and referrals.
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