Every morning of this past year, we all wake up and ponder how to protect our own health, but now is also the time to think about the health of our nation and the ones close to us. Are we protecting our community like we’ve been protecting the homes we live in? Here are five things that you can do to promote wellness outside your bubble.
1. Call/Check In – To make an impact in a community, you have to start with individuals. Touch base with the friend you haven’t heard from in a while, call your mom, ask the person behind you in line how they’re feeling today. Create an environment around you that every person knows you care about their health and wellness.
2. Know Your Rights. Make sure you are up to date on your rights and resources, from the nearest COVID testing center to what kind of insurance is accessible and best for you. Making sure you are prepared and aware of what you deserve means that you’re able to help the people around you who don’t know for themselves.
3. Educate/Promote What is Important – We need to educate not only our adults, but our children about healthcare in America. From social media to school programs to just talking openly to our kids, having conversations about where to go when you need help is one of the most important things we can do in the healthcare field – and even more so, how to maintain good health so that you can avoid getting to that point.
4. Vote – Your vote is your voice. Now more than ever, we need to vote in lawmakers and leaders who not only talk about plans they want to make, but carry out those plans to make better and more affordable healthcare and provide support for essential healthcare workers.
5. Donate – If you can, donations to centers and nonprofits can make all the difference; and even if you can’t, prioritizing local caregivers over services from large corporations can make a huge impact in making sure you have diverse and localized care in your area.
6. Thank – Last but not least, thank the healthcare professionals and caregivers in your life! They have some of the most grueling, difficult, and important jobs in the world and now more than ever we need to make sure they have the support they need while they support us. When we all support each other’s rights to health and happiness, we and our loved ones get lifted up too.