Take Time for Yourself

The Ministry for Health has declared March Wellness Month and asks all residents to put their health first by taking some time to relax.

Consider having a massage, taking a yoga class, visiting with friends or spending a day at the beach. The ministry wants all to know how important it is to spend time focusing on physical, emotional and spiritual well-being, especially during the post-Ivan recovery phase.

“Promoting wellness is central to the ministry’s mission statement, and although we called March a special month for reflecting on our personal physical and mental health, the ministry will be promoting wellness on a continual basis,” said Deputy Permanent Secretary for Health Diane Montoya.

“As leader to all health industry partners, the ministry will use this month to pull together all agencies providing health services to secure optimal wellness of all our people. We want to build a well-regulated environment that delivers high quality, comprehensive health care and health promotion programmes,” she explained.

To this end the ministry is working to develop a synergy with both government and nongovernmental organizations: “We recognize that government is only one source among many others where a person can access resources to meet their physical or mental needs. We therefore decided to facilitate and publicise all that is on offer in regards to health care here in Cayman,” said Mrs Montoya.

Wellness Month kicked off with a team from the Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health offering skills training and awareness sessions for health care professionals from the public and private sector, including prison officers, health and mental health workers, teachers, counsellors and church representatives. The workshops included information on how to deal with traumatic stress and compassion fatigue.

Clinical psychologist and professor at the International College of the Cayman Islands (ICCI) Dr. Karen Dunbar designed and implemented the ‘Neighbours Helping Neighbours’ programme. She is also currently working with the ministry to establish support groups within the community and within various organizations.

This public health initiative was launched in the Bodden Town district on 7 March with the Minister for Health, the Hon Gilbert McLean; the Minister for Education, the Hon Roy Bodden and MLA Mr Anthony Eden pledging their support to spread the message that while our people are busy rebuilding homes and businesses they must also take time to improve their quality of health.

To learn more about this and other wellness programmes, contact the Public Health Department at 244-2648 or schedule an appointment to speak directly with Dr. Dunbar by calling 244-2318.