Let's Get Set
Would you like to get into a healthier routine but don't know where to start? It's time to get set with Healthy Ireland and start your journey to better health. With our simple easy steps you can learn how to create a new healthy habit, whether that is eating better, getting more physically active, or learning how to take care of your mental wellbeing.
Follow our simple advice and you could soon be on your way to a healthier routine.
See our dedicated Let's Get Set campaign page, click here.
Let's Stay Connected
The spread of Covid-19 (Coronavirus) is a new and challenging event. Everyone's lives and daily routines are affected by the measures that have been introduced to disrupt the spread of the virus, and keep us all safe. It's normal to be worried or to feel stressed during this difficult time, but there are many things we can do to help us look after our mental wellbeing, stay active and stay connected.
Some people might find this time more worrying than others and may need some extra support on the phone or online. Whatever you are going through, let's stay connected and make it through, together. Click here for more about a range of supports to help us all to stay connected and make it through together.
- Support Services
- Looking After Our Mental Health
- Staying Active
- Quitting Smoking
- Alcohol Advice
- Domestic Abuse
- Child Protection & Welfare
- Elder Abuse
- Carers
- People with Dementia
- Migrant Health
- Let’s Play Ireland
- Institute of Public Health Survey
- Helpful Resources
Support Services
Community, social, health and family support services available to help meet you and your family’s needs:
- For a list of community services available in your area click here
- For a list of parenting, family support and mental health services in Limerick, visit the Limerick Children and Young People’s Services website, click here
Looking After Our Mental Health
For information about looking after your mental health during Covid-19, visit the HSE website.
Free call Samaritans 116 123
If you need urgent help for a mental health issue click here.
Download a helpful poster (HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare website) outlining services and supports to help with your emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Online Mental Health Supports
As part of their ongoing collaboration with HSE Mental Health, Silvercloud Health has made four of their online mental health and wellbeing programs free to access for all health sector staff and volunteers. The four programs cover: Stress, Sleep, Resilience and Challenging Times, and were developed in response to Covid-19. These programs, which are self directed, feature evidence based content in a series of modules that draw on well-established interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy. The HSE and Silvercloud want to ensure that the wider health sector can avail of the programs. To find out more and to access the content, please visit the SilverCloud - Space for Healthy Minds and please remember to use the access code HSE2020. Further information on minding your mental health during Covid-19 can be found here on the HSE website.
Staying Active
Limerick Sports Partnership’s Active Hub has plenty of ideas to help you and your family be active.
Quitting Smoking
Quitting smoking helps build your natural resistance to all types of infections including coronavirus. Now is a good time to quit. You are more likely to successfully quit with help. Click here for more about quitting smoking during the coronavirus pandemic.
Alcohol Advice
The disruption we are all facing in our lives at the moment can be difficult to cope with and can leave us feeling powerless, lonely, stressed and bored. Our emotions and moods are up and down more than normal. Dealing with all of this and being at home all the time, means many of us are drinking more than usual. There are a number of reasons you might like to cut back on your alcohol intake right now. Find out more here.
Domestic Abuse
We have all been asked to stay at home in response to the Covid-19 pandemic but for those who experience domestic abuse, home may not be the safest option. We also know that stress can increase the chance of violence in homes when there is a history of domestic abuse. It is important that you know you are not alone – domestic and sexual violence support services from state agencies and the voluntary sector have been adapted and increased to ensure they remain available to support you, even during the restrictions which are now in place due to Covid-19. Restrictions on movement do not apply to a person escaping from a risk of harm or seeking to access essential services.
For help and information, go to stillhere.ie If you are worried about someone experiencing domestic abuse, find out more on the Adapt Domestic Abuse Services website here, download this leaflet or call ADAPT on Freephone 1800 200 504.
Child Protection & Welfare
- If you are concerned about a child, contact Tusla Mid-West - Phone: 061 588688
- Or report concerns to the Limerick Duty Intake Team - Phone: 061 483097/ 061 483098
- If a child is immediate danger, contact the Gardaí - Phone: 112/999
Elder Abuse
If you have concerns about Elder Abuse contact the HSE Safeguarding and Protection Team (Mid-West) on 067 46470 (Maggie McNally) or email safeguarding.cho3@hse.ie.
Carers
Family Carers Ireland - offering family carers free counselling sessions.
As a carer, there are times when mental health and emotional wellbeing may be challenged due to a combination of the demands of a caring role, and the additional worries of the Covid-19 pandemic. Family Carers Ireland offer help to family carers, as they believe no one should have to care alone. They have developed a free, short-term online and phone counselling service for family carers, and will connect carers with a qualified counsellor from a panel of approved professionals. The service can be accessed through the Family Carers Ireland website or through the National Freephone Careline on 1800 24 07 24.
People with Dementia
Migrant Health in Response to Covid-19 (Coronavirus)
Resources for Migrant Health in response to Covid-19 (Coronavirus) includes:
- Partner pack - posters, videos and more
- Up to date information
- Guidance documents and resources
- Translations and easy read documents
- Video's in various languages
- Translation and Interpreting contacts
- Social media accounts
- Mental health resources
- The Community Call including translations of advice and contacts
Let's Play Ireland
Let’s Play Ireland is a whole of Government campaign led by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to promote the importance of play and to provide play resources for families during this time. There are resources available on the Gov.ie website, Let's Play Ireland I #letsplayireland.
The aim of the initiative is to highlight the importance of play for children, particularly in the challenging time and to provide information and resources for families to support their children’s play. The campaign will run throughout May and June in conjunction with the overall Government campaign on Wellbeing. Every Wednesday new resources will feature on the website across a range of themes including; Early Years, Playful Families, Storytelling, Playful Learning, Active Play, Creative Play and Play to Support Well Being.
Institute of Public Health Survey
The Institute of Public Health is inviting people to take part in an online anonymous international survey to help understand how people are coping during the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey has been developed by the International Loneliness and Social Isolation Research Network (I-LINK) that includes the Institute of Public Health along with Ulster University, Trinity College Dublin and Maynooth University as well as colleagues from the UK, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. The intent is that the information will help understand how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted individuals, families, communities, policies and services at both a country and global level. To take part in the survey, click here.
Other Helpful Resources
Limerick PPN
Limerick Public Participation Network and its individual members are actively supporting the Government Action Plan to support the community response to the Covid crisis. Find out more on www.limerickppn.ie.
COVID-19 Information
Reliable and trustworthy information on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is available on the HSE website or call the HSE National Helpline Number 1850 241850.
Posters and Resources
Posters, booklets and videos to use in workplaces and communities to raise awareness about preventing the spread of Coronavirus are available for download and printing here.
Covid-19 translated resources are available to download here.
COVID-19 Irish Sign Language (ISL) resources are available to download here.
To find out more about the Government’s In this together campaign and get ideas on how to mind your health and wellbeing, whatever your age or ability, visit www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/together.
#InThisTogether Wellbeing Campaign
The website is www.gov.ie/together and the hash tag is #InThisTogether.
Radio adverts can be found here on SoundCloud and include those relating to:
- Social distancing and disability – keeping in mind people with disabilities, including the visually impaired.
- Sleep – advice for people experiencing disturbed sleep at this time.
- ‘Small Walk’ - advice for people who are worried about getting back out and about or may be feeling unsteady on their feet.