Where to turn if you’re experiencing money worries

Money worries are stressful at any time of year but can feel extra difficult around the Christmas season. If you’re experiencing money worries, there is help out there and you’re not alone. You can find a range of information and resources that could help all in one place on the East Sussex County Council website.

Whether it’s where to get help with benefits and grants, where to seek information and advice on household bills, how to access food banks and other food services, or how to get mental health support if you need it, the pages cover all these topics and much more: Cost of living support.

Give the gift of time – it could make all the difference

Feeling lonely is challenging at any time of year but can feel particularly hard at Christmas time. People might also feel embarrassed to say they’re spending it alone or that they’re feeling lonely, but there’s no shame in these feelings. In fact, the best thing we can do is talk about it.

We can all help lift other people, and ourselves, out of loneliness by reaching out to those around us. Whether it’s making a phone call, sending a text, writing a card, or even chatting to the person standing next to us in the queue, it can all help. Giving the gift of your time to someone else, even for a quick cup of a tea and chat, could be one of the best presents you give this year – all for free.

If you’re feeling lonely yourself and you’re worried about reaching out, the person you contact may be feeling the same as you and your call might be the contact they needed too. We can never be sure of what someone else is going through.

Here are some other things you can do if you’d like to help someone else or if you’re feeling lonely yourself:

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Taking care of your emotional health in later life

If you’re over the age of 65 and you think about what it means to be healthy, your first thoughts might be to think about your physical health. Keeping up your strength and flexibility, looking after your diet, noticing new aches and pains, or perhaps managing any health conditions. But that’s really only half the picture. The other half, which is often overlooked, is your emotional health.

Emotional health is how we think and feel, how we manage our emotions, cope with life’s ups and downs, and our sense of wellbeing. As we age, we can encounter different things that impact on our emotional wellbeing, for example retirement, changes to our physical health, grief, or becoming a carer. Physical health and emotional health aren’t separate things, there’s a very close relationship between the two and they often interact with one another.

Many older people don’t seek support for their emotional health when they’re struggling, for example if you’ve been feeling sad, worried, or not yourself. This might be because you don’t think your problems are severe enough to warrant help, they’re seen as a normal part of ageing, or because of a fear of being judged.

It’s very important to know that struggling with emotional health isn’t something you need to just to accept, they’re not simply a part of getting older, and there are free services available that can help. It’s also very common, as data shows that more than six in 10 people in the UK aged 65 or over have experienced low mood or worry.

In this article we take a look at the links between emotional and physical health, the importance of looking after our emotional health, and the support that’s on offer.

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NHS Sussex calls on parents to know the signs and symptoms of RSV

The NHS in Sussex is encouraging parents and caregivers to look out for symptoms of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in young children, as cases are expected to increase over winter months.

RSV is often prevalent amongst young people during this time of year, and spreads easily via coughs and sneezes. Almost all children have had it by the time they are two-years old. In older children and adults, RSV may cause a cough or cold, but in young children it can cause bronchiolitis.

If the virus does cause bronchiolitis – a lower respiratory tract infection that in some cases can prove severe, especially for those under the age of two – it is best to know the signs and symptoms, and when you should seek further advice.

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Keep warm this winter with a Warm Home Check

As we head into the colder months, we know many people will be worrying about staying warm at home. High costs of living and high energy bills are a big concern, especially for those who already find it hard to heat their home and are on a low income.

The cold isn’t just uncomfortable but can be dangerous for those with pre-existing health issues such as heart and breathing conditions, or children who are asthmatic. It also can have a negative impact on your mental wellbeing.

If you need help to stay warm at home, the East Sussex Warm Home Check service provides free impartial energy advice and support and is available all year round. It helps you to improve the energy efficiency of your home meaning you can stay warm for less and reduce your home’s carbon emissions. As well as practical advice and resources, the service also provides help including heating repairs and small home improvements for those who are eligible.

If you, or someone you know, is concerned about staying warm this winter, find out more about the Warm Home Check service. You can apply by visiting the Keep Warm and Well website, texting WARM to 80011 or calling 0800 464 7307.

Don’t brush it under the carpet

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has launched a new campaign to improve mental wellbeing and raise awareness of self-harm and suicide in older people.

‘Don’t brush it under the carpet’ aims to reach and support older people who may be feeling depressed and alone and guide them to the right support. The campaign also aims to raise awareness of the issue of self-harm and older people, amongst carers, family members and health professionals to enable them to support someone they know who may be struggling.

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Looking after your health and wellbeing over winter

Winter can be a wonderful time, and our beautiful county still has lots to offer both indoors and outdoors during the colder months. It’s also a season that can pose some added challenges to our health and wellbeing as the temperatures drop – from extra bugs doing the rounds, to more slip and fall risks, difficulty staying warm at home, and impacts to our mood. Over winter it’s especially important we look after ourselves and those around us to help stay as well as we can. It’s also important to know what help and support is out there when we do need it, as there’s lots of places you can turn to.

With that in mind, here are some top tips to help you keep as well as possible in mind, body, and spirit over the winter, and where you can get extra support for your health and wellbeing.

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‘Find your little big thing’ to improve your mental health

The NHS Every Mind Matters campaign is encouraging everyone to ‘find your little big thing’ for your mental health.

These are the little things that you can do every day that make a big difference to your mental health, like a walk, talking to someone you trust, getting close to nature, reducing screen time, or managing your thoughts and feelings with the help of CBT

The Every Mind Matters website has lots of NHS-approved tips and advice to help you ‘find your little big thing’. You can also get a free, personalised Mind Plan – a mental health action plan that provides practical tips to help you deal with anxiety and stress, boost your mood, sleep better, and feel more in control. Why not get yours today:

Visit Every Mind Matters.

Get connected to volunteering roles with the Tribe app

Are you interested in volunteering but not sure where to start? A new app to help you find volunteering roles has been launched by East Sussex County Council.

You can use the new Tribe app to connect to volunteering roles with local organisations and their volunteering opportunities. Voluntary organisations will be able to use Tribe to manage and schedule volunteer tasks, and to find new local volunteers.

There are lots of volunteer opportunities already up on the app, including roles with the arts, gardening, supporting refugees and with charities helping people experiencing food poverty. The roles are regularly updated, and you can choose to work in a way that suits your lifestyle, location and skill.

Find out more and get the app.