Family Enhancement

---

Family has a vital role to play for the health and well being of its individual members. A family provides resources for healthy living for the personal and collective needs of its members.  This includes access to food, shelter, clothing, healthy living conditions, a sense of belonging and medical care as necessary.

It is necessary to make a collective family choice for adopting a healthy lifestyle. If individual members choose to live in a healthy way but do not find the support of other members, then it often leads to problems.

The following factors play an important role in maintaining good physical health within a family.

1.  Physical Activities:

Encourage physical activities in the household. As a parent, you can model them for your children. As a family, you can engage in some active physical activities together. For example, go on hikes, biking, walks, swimming etc. Invest in health equipment over video games. Choose outdoor activities over indoor time. Find a recreation centre close to you that offers programs to stay active and healthy. 

2.  Eating habits:

Watch the food choices you are making in your daily eating. It is important to include a variety of foods that give the required nutrition for all the members of the family. Cook more often, instead of buying pre-made or processed foods. Adjust recipes to make them healthier based on your cultural preferences, dietary restrictions, Follow Canada’s Food Guide: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/ for tips and guidance on diet habits.

3.  Medical check-ups:

Be proactive in booking and maintaining your medical appointments for yourself and family members. Annual physical examinations are important to maintain good physical health and to take timely measures if necessary.

4.  Family hygiene practices:

Hygiene includes the practices we use in our everyday life to stay clean and protected against infections and diseases. Develop good habits for the maintenance of hygiene in children, for example, when and how to wash hands properly, how to maintain cleanliness in the house, and how to take care of pets. Educate yourself and your family members on the appropriate use of effective and safe cleaning products within the house.

5.  Relax the body:

In order to stay healthy, it is necessary to recognize the importance of relaxation. If any member of the family is over-worked and tired, they might not be able to stay healthy. Collectively, take care of everyone’s rest and relaxation time so that the family remains healthy. 

6.  Caregiving:

If a family member is sick or under your care, it can be physically demanding for you. You might be sleep deprived, might not be taking care of your diet and exercise habits and might not be taking care of yourself in times of your own sickness. Take responsibility for your own care as well. 

All families can benefit from support to keep their social and emotional lives healthy and happy. At different stages of life, different members of the family might need specific supports to cope with life situations and changes in order to stay healthy emotionally, socially and mentally. 

Here is how we can care for the socio-emotional health of our family in different situations:

Stress Management:

When a family member is under stress due to any reason, it can make it hard for that individual to be happy and/or healthy. It also affects others in the family. Here are some things to prevent stress from affecting your family life negatively:

-  Be proactive:

Prevention is better than cure. Try to encourage and adopt habits and practices that will prevent stressful situations from arising. For example, keep a systematic routine and do not give up on it, help children to follow it; do not procrastinate in doing any necessary work; and create an environment that minimizes opportunities for stress.

-  Share:

Family members might not be aware of the stress going on in your life. Talk about your problems. It will help you release your feelings and make you feel better. It will also give others the opportunity to understand that you are going through a hard time, and if help is required or possible, they might be able to share the burden with you.

-  Practice wellness strategies:

Develop a family culture where wellness is practiced regularly. Make the time for deep breathing, meditation or yoga. Make sure everyone is getting enough sleep in the family. 

-  Positive energy:

Try to keep family conversations positive. It is not uncommon to have differences. However, as long as the differences are dealt with in positive, constructive ways, it keeps the overall environment healthy.

Supporting children:

In families with children, parenting styles and methods have a deep impact on the socio-emotional well being of the family. Visit the Parenting section for details about effective parenting. Some general tips for parents:

-  Teach children social skills:

Poor social skills in children can negatively affect the social and emotional health of the family. Teach children the important skills of respectful conversations, cooperation with others, appropriate social behaviours at home and in public, self-regulation etc.

-  Family values:

Teach children the qualities and attributes your family values. Model those values for the kids. Find opportunities to explicitly teach those values through examples, stories and incidents.

-  Encourage sharing:

Allow children to share their thoughts and feelings. Provide them support in dealing with any negative feelings. Do not rush into giving advice or instructions. Instead, listen to them carefully, ask thoughtful questions and help them process their feelings.

-  Watch for behavioural changes:

If children are beginning to show signs of changing behaviour, for example, becoming moody, angry, fearful, avoiding school, becoming argumentative, being unable to sleep, talking about harming themselves, changing diet patterns etc., then it could be a sign that they are under stress. Provide support and consult professionals if necessary.

Older Family Members:

When members of the family get older, they might experience transitions in their life. These could include: decline in physical health, retiring from employment or work, loss of peers/friends/partner/spouse.

These changes can affect the individuals at a deep emotional level. The following supports can be provided to our older family members for their socio-emotional well-being:

-  Social connections:

Provide opportunities for them to socialize and to stay in touch with family and friends

-  Physical activity:

Taking a walk, joining an exercise program or a yoga class are all helpful activities for older adults to feel well

-  Volunteering:

It is a nice, healthy feeling to give back to the community

-  Staying busy:

It is helpful for older adults to keep their mind engaged in meaningful things. For instance, develop a hobby, be willing to try something new, learn how to use technology, go to visit a store etc.

-  Intergenerational connections:

Older adults might feel invigorated and rejuvenated when they meet and connect with people of all ages, not just other adults of the same age as them.