Caring for our carers – R U OK?

Asking anyone who works in the front-line of healthcare ‘R U OK?’ is more important now than ever. Because asking them R U OK? is about taking care of our carers.

Among a number of other initiatives to support team wellbeing, Kawana Waters Care Community recently launched an “Appreciation Station” for everyone to share words of encouragement for our team.

For people who dedicate their lives to caring for others, prioritising their own wellbeing can be a big step out of their comfort zone. Day after day they show up with strength and courage and resilience to look after those in their care, no matter what. They lean in because they love what they do and this is who they are.

There’s no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to wellbeing. So across Opal HealthCare we’re encouraging conscious conversations about what R U OK? Day means to our team. Here’s some of the ways we’re sparking those discussions:

• Our People and Culture team have been visiting our team onsite and having 1-1 confidential conversations to check in on wellbeing and, most importantly, to listen.
  “…it was a good thing to do – to have a different set of ears and to hear a different point of view… I think it helped to lift the spirits.” General Manager, Rino Canto
• Sending care packages to our team - those onsite in our Care Communities and our Home Office team who are working remotely during the lockdown
• Enrolling in a SafeWork NSW program to help create a mentally healthy workplace
• Including mental wellbeing as a focal point in our leadership development programs to support constructive and positive mindsets
• Implementing customised wellbeing initiatives within Care Communities to support team wellbeing
• Actively recognising our team in different ways, for example with appreciation boards and handwritten cards, to remind our team that what they do matters every day

Like all good things, wellbeing is something we need to work at and be deliberate about.

Have you asked a healthcare worker R U OK? today?