Lockdown Wellbeing Hub
Your Wellbeing is Our Top Priority
Being physically isolated from family, friends, and colleagues during this time is difficult for everyone. If you have Cerebral Palsy, you may be feeling especially isolated during this time.
It’s important to look after yourself and be proactive about caring for your wellbeing. That’s why we’ve created this support pack to help you navigate through this time. CPS made a public call to our members and the wider community for compassion, connection, care and community.
#Compassion
While we are isolated physically, we don’t need to be isolated emotionally. Reach out to your friends and family by phone, video chat, text or email.
#Connection
People maybe dealing with multiple emotional issues so, give your neighbour a smile when you see them and think of ways to spread joy and goodwill.
#Care
Learn a new skill, read a book you’ve been wanting to read, start a new type of exercise. Learning new things will help you to enjoy yourself more and in the present moment.
#Community
Get outside for fresh air, at least once a day. Choose a type of exercise that feels good for you and try to commit to it for at least 10 minutes per day.
Unite Against COVID-19
Unite Against COVID-19 detailed ways of looking after yourself during lockdown.
Their guidelines include overall wellbeing and mental wellbeing. It also includes free online resources, tool kits, and a full outline of how to look after yourself which has been presented for all communities including those with a hearing impairment.
Find out MoreMinistry of Health Flu Tracker
Flu Tracker harnesses the power of the internet and community spirit for monitoring influenza.
By taking part, you’ll not only be contributing to scientific research, you will be helping to track influenza in your local community and nation-wide.
Over the 14 years the survey has been running in Australia (and now in New Zealand) it has grown to more than 140,000 participants per week who have collectively completed more than 6.5 million surveys!
Find out MoreKeeping Active - Physically and Mentally
We also have lots of fun activities for you to do:
Become a street artist
If you have chalk at home, try drawing some art on your driveway or the footpath to brighten people’s day!
Kidz Cooking Creations
Get experimental in the kitchen.
Start a journal
Now is a great time to reflect. Start a stream of consciousness to help you keep track of your feelings during the quarantine.
Find your inner artist
Try taking an online drawing class. There are a lot of great classes available on YouTube. Here’s a good one if you’d like to learn how to draw faces.
Have a Dance Party
Have a solo or bubble-wide dance party!
Have a shared movie night
Watch a movie on YouTube/Netflix with those in your bubble or organise with a friend to watch a film at the same time and then talk about it afterward.
Have a picnic in your yard
Just because we’re in lockdown doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the outdoors.
We Are Our Words
Show your writing skill and talent by writing about al life experience, a poem, a song, a letter to your past or future self.
Time for a new routine?
During lockdown, many of us find ourselves in a pyjama-tinged blur. While we know this isn’t really good for us, the absence of a routine has left us a little unsure of how to prioritise our day.
Creating a daily routine that works for you can really help you get through lockdown. Here’s a few ideas to help you make the most of being at home:
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Start Each Morning Well
- It can be tempting to start your day by heading straight to the couch, maybe turning on the television to catch up on the news or to start browsing the internet. But why not be intentional about this important time of day.
- Try deciding five steps you want to take each morning, like going for a walk around the block (before you start work if you’re working). This has the added benefit of requiring you to change out of those pyjamas too.
- You could also challenge yourself to drink a cup of tea outside, without any distractions, for some additional quiet time and mindfulness.
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Schedule in Movement
- It can feel a bit like Groundhog Day during lockdown. Exercise can really help to break up your day and make you feel more alive.
- If you want to exercise, you will need to decide when you want to do it. Easy times for this are at lunch, or before dinner.
- To help you stay committed, challenge someone else in your bubble to join you, or do it with a friend over the phone or via video chat.
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Evening Routine
- How did you live before the quarantine? Try to keep a normal schedule during the lockdown – and set a bedtime and a wake-up time.
- For many of us, our sleeping patterns may be out of whack due to the change of routine and it’s important to prioritise sleep. If our sleep goes haywire, it can drastically affect our mood.
- Try to have some quiet time without screens (perhaps with a book) for the last hour before you go to sleep.
Join Our Online Community
It’s an important time to be connected. Connecting with your community is an incredibly powerful way to beat isolation at this time.
Join our online community today where you can speak with CPS staff, and other families around New Zealand who either have, or know someone living with Cerebral Palsy.
Visit our FacebookRequest A Call From Our Team
We’re here to help. If you’re feeling isolated or need support, our team is available to talk. Sometimes, having someone to chat with can make a huge difference during this time of isolation.
Why not request a call or email from the team today?
Request a call