Page 19 - KMAland Healthcare Heroes
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KMAland 2021             A Salute to KMAland Healthcare Heroes                                  19
      Struggling with Mental Health during COVID?













           There’s help out there






   (Des  Moines)    -  The
   continuing coronavirus
   pandemic is impacting
   KMAland residents in
   more ways than one.

          n  addition  to  the  medical   “If a person finds that they’re  to socialize since May or March.
          threats posed by COVID-    having trouble concentrating,”  But, people are also isolated in
       I19, there’s also the psy-    she said, “their minds jumping  their homes. So, we’ve done a lot
   chological and emotional stress  around more than usual, they’re  of fun activities, and tried to find
   that can come from isolation,  eating less than they usually do,  things to help people break some
   quarantining or a lack of human  or more, having trouble sleeping- of that social isolation.”
   interaction.  State  officials  are  those are just some basic things   Those activities include book
   attempting to address those issues  that we all go through from time  clubs on social media, a handwrit-
   through the COVID Recovery  to time. But, if they’re lasting for  ten pen pal program, chat bud-
   Iowa program. Karen Hyatt is the  more than a week, or impacting  dies and other methods. Anyone
   program’s state manager, and an  your ability to do the things you  seeking assistance may access the
   emotional mental health special-  need to do during the day, those  COVID Recovery Iowa website.
   ist with the Iowa Department of  are sure signs of stress a person’s    “There’s a contact sheet on
   Human Services. Hyatt says grant  going through.”                   the website,” she said. “A person
   money awarded by FEMA helped          Hyatt  says  economic  hard-  can fill that out, and request to
   create the program last year.     ships are another issue creating  speak to somebody for personal
       “The purpose of the grant is  coronavirus-related issues. She  support, or any number of things,
   to offer free support counseling,  says many parents also face the  and send that in to us. There’s also
   referral information, and guidance  dubious task of coordinating their  three hotline numbers listed at
   to people as they try to navigate  child’s remote learning activi- the top of our COVID Recovery
   their way through a very unusual  ties, and worrying about their  Iowa website that a person can
   situation,” said Hyatt. “We want  employment status at the same  call, either speak with someone
   to help normalize as much as we  time. Social isolation caused by  right then on the phone, or ask to
   can what’s going on, and really  COVID-related quarantines pose  speak to a counselor.”
   just provide that basic mental  another challenge.                      There’s also the program’s
   health support that people might      “It’s a lonely time for a lot of  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and
   not normally need.”               people who are unable to see their  YouTube accounts listed under
       Hyatt says the program is  friends and family,” said Hyatt.  COVID Recovery Iowa. A 24/7
   open to anyone showing signs of  “We  know  that  there  are  nurs- hotline is available by calling
   mental health issues associated  ing homes or facilities that have  1-844-775-WARM.
   with COVID-19.                    been in their rooms, and not able
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