by Grace | Mar 15, 2021 | Uncategorised
Sunday 11th April is World Parkinson’s Day.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation (2021), Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects predominately dopamine-producing neurons in a specific area of the brain.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms generally develop slowly over the years. The progression of symptoms is often different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease. Some symptoms may include:
- Impulse control disorder
- Hallucinations
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Sleep difficulties
- Tremor
- Limb rigidity
- Gait and balance problems
The cause of Parkinson’s Disease remains unknown (Parkinson’s Foundation, 2021) and although there is no cure, treatment options vary and include medications and surgery. While Parkinson’s itself is not fatal, disease complications can be serious.
How can you support someone with Parkinson’s Disease?
- Understand the progression of the disease
- Learn everything you can about the disease
- Volunteer to help
- Get active with your friend or family member with PD
- Help them feel ‘normal’
- Get out of the house and grab a coffee(PD can feel lonely)
- Listen
- Look for worsening symptoms
- Be patient
(Healthline.com.au, 2021).
by Grace | Mar 15, 2021 | Workplace Education
Wednesday 7th April is World Health Day!
Across the world, some groups struggle to make ends meet with little daily income, have poorer housing conditions and education, fewer employment opportunities, experience greater gender inequality, and have little or no access to safe environments, clean water and air, food security and health services. This leads to unnecessary suffering, avoidable illness, and premature death. Additionally, it harms our societies and economies (WHO, 2021).
This is not only unfair: it is preventable. Universal health coverage (UHC) is about ensuring all people and communities have access to quality health services where and when they need them, without suffering financial hardship. It includes the full spectrum of services needed throughout life—from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care—and is best based on a strong primary health care system (WHO, 2019).
Achieving UHC is one of the key targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
‘Half of the world’s population does not have access to essential health services. Half are at risk of malaria. There are close to two million infant deaths a year that could be prevented by expanding access to existing vaccines.’ – Compassion (2019).
If you would like to donate, click here – https://www.compassion.com/world-days/world-health-day.htm
by Grace | Mar 15, 2021 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
The four day weekend over Easter is a shoe-in for the potential to overindulge! Being surrounded by chocolate, copious amounts of delicious food and alcohol, it is possible to resist the temptations! The Green Apple Wellness Centre (2017) provides 8 tips for staying healthy this Easter:
- Stock up on fruit and veg!
Chocolate is never more tempting when there is no fresh fruit and vegetables in the fridge. Cut up your fruit (such as watermelon and pineapple) and store in containers as soon as you buy it for easy access to the healthier option.
- Chocolate only at dessert time.
This is tricky we know, but restricting chocolate eating to dessert time should drastically reduce the amount of chocolate you eat and will prevent mindless chocolate snacking. Make sure you put an amount of chocolate you would like to eat in a bowl and leave the rest in the kitchen to avoid over-indulging!
- The darker the chocolate, the better:
Dark chocolate has significantly less sugar and carbs than milk/white chocolate, as well as more cocoa (the original chocolate plant).
- Maintain your regular exercise:
Exercising is a great way to reduce cravings for chocolate. It will help maintain your fitness goals over the public holidays. Organise a game of backyard cricket, go to the beach for a walk and enjoy being outside!
- Good Friday means seafood!
An Easter tradition is abstain from red meat on Good Friday. Take the challenge (or free ticket) to some fresh fish for dinner. Fish is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, rich in protein and low in calories. Pair your fish with a side of fresh salad or some grilled veggies and you have yourself a very healthy Good Friday dinner!
- Do not bulk buy
The sales and aisle upon aisles of chocolate are tempting – but resist and do not bulk buy chocolate unless necessary. Instead, purchase one or two high quality chocolate treats to enjoy over the extended weekend.
- Watch what your drink
The Easter holiday normally means entertaining or being entertained. When having guests over, it’s nice to have a couple of drink alternatives. When considering what to buy, make sure you have some cold water and soda options too. When visiting somebody else’s house, opt to drink some water as well.
- Don’t forget normal eggs
Whilst it’s easy to enjoy the chocolate eggs, don’t forget the value of traditional eggs (chicken laid eggs). Eggs are a great source of protein and are an effective and great way to start your day!
by Grace | Mar 8, 2021 | Workplace Education
The idea around International Women’s Day is to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality (International Women’s Day, 2021).
This years theme is ‘Choose to Challenge’. A challenged world is an alert world and individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions. We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and equality, together creating an inclusive world (International Women’s Day, 2021).
How can your workplace participate?
The perfect opportunity to get involved in forging women’s equality in the workplace.
- Applaud the work and achievements of women in your workplace;
- Continue to maintain a deep and conscious focus on equity, diversity and inclusion all year round;
- Enforce policies, practices, benefit and support mechanisms so women’s careers can thrive – these workplaces can offer women appealing career prospects;
- Celebrate work achievements which in turn will inspire women to further achieve their potential;
- Back ideas up in meetings;
- Back less experienced women for projects;
- Be approachable and offer help;
- Enable diversity in leadership by promoting women;
- Equal wages for equal work and experience;
- Develop a fair parental leave policy;
by Grace | Feb 21, 2021 | Workplace Education
Purple Day celebrated on Friday 26th, is a global initiative dedicated to raising epilepsy awareness.
‘In Australia, around 250,000 people are currently diagnosed with epilepsy – that’s over 1 per cent of the population.’ – www.epilepsy.org.au (2020).
While epilepsy is more common than Parkinson’s, cerebral palsy, MS and muscular dystrophy combined, it is widely misunderstood.
What is epilepsy?
According to Epilepsy Action Australia (2020), epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterised by the tendency to have spontaneous, recurrent seizures. Seizures are caused by a disruption of the electrical activity in the brain.
What causes it?
Epilepsy can sometimes be caused by head trauma, stroke, infectious disease of the brain, or abnormalities of the brain from birth. Genetics also play a role in some people. About half of the people with epilepsy never know the cause of their epilepsy.
What is a seizure?
A seizure is a temporary disruption of the electrical activity in the brain. Not all seizures involve convulsions. There are many different types of seizures that present in many ways including changes to sensation, awareness, behaviour or movement. Not all seizures are diagnosed as epilepsy.
Can certain triggers set off a seizure?
Some known triggers include lack of sleep, missed medication, fatigue, physical or emotional stress, hormonal changes and illness (Epilepsy Action Australia, 2020).
What is the best way to help someone having a convulsive seizure?
According to Epilepsy Action Australia (2020);
- Stay with the person
- Time the seizure
- Keep them safe. Protect from injury, especially the head.
- Roll person into recovery position after the seizure stops (or immediately if food/fluid/vomit is in mouth)
- Observe and monitor breathing
- Gently reassure until recovered
- Call an ambulance if there is an injury; if the seizure lasts for longer than 5 minutes or if after the seizure ends the person is having breathing difficulties or s non-responsive.