COVID-19 coping tools

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges through paying attention, working to stay focused and in the present moment, and reacting nonjudgmentally to things as they are. Mindfulness and selfcompassion are effective in improving resilience as well as decreasing anxiety. You can practice mindfulness by performing any of these easy activities:

• Stop for a moment and take note of how each breath you take feels as it travels in, through and out of your body.
• Focus on the tastes and textures you’re experiencing during every bite of a meal.
• Throughout the day, pause for a minute to identify what you see, hear, smell and feel.

Meaningful connection

Every single person is worthy of connection and being known — including you. A meaningful connection includes being emotionally vulnerable and open with someone, showing affection to them and receiving it in return, and knowing that you can count on one another. We can meaningfully connect in marriage, friendship, and relationships with our children and with our neighbors. This can happen in person or by text, email, phone call, mail and video chats. Reach out when you want to connect, to check in on someone you care about or to ask for help.

Movement

Any type of movement and stretching that you can do in the comfort of your home or around your garden or yard — as permitted by your doctor — is helpful to prevent restlessness and maintain muscle and joint health. Physical movement can also help decrease the risks of some health issues facing seniors, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and arthritis. Other benefits include:

• Improved balance, coordination and flexibility
• Reduced risk of falling and fracturing bones
• Increased oxygen to the brain to improve cognitive function
• Decreased risk of osteoporosis

Mastery

Don’t forget your brain health. Taking care of your brain is just as important as taking care of your body. Much like your body benefits from physical exercise, your brain benefits from mental exercise. With added time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now is an excellent time to engage in activities that will exercise your brain. Try your hand at puzzles, word searches, crosswords and other “brain games.” This type of daily stimulation can help boost your attention, verbal fluency, memory and other cognitive areas.