PANDEMIC INFLUENZA: Psychosocial Preparedness for UN Staff Members and Families

Topics Staying Balanced: Expected emotional reactions to public health emergencies Staying Informed: Evaluating information Staying Healthy: Managing stress and building resilience Staying Connected: Talking with children and family members Staying Ready: Personal and family preparedness

Staying Balanced: Staying Balanced: Expected Emotional Reactions Anxiety/Worry Fear/Uncertainty Frustration/Anger In more severe stages of pandemic, grief related to loss of loved ones

Suggestions for Staying Balanced These emotional reactions are normal, time-limited responses Re-direct your attention to a productive and/or enjoyable activity Talk to others – talking helps! Acknowledge that some events are out of your control; shift your focus to those things you can control

Staying Informed: Staying Informed: Evaluating Information The best antidote for anxiety and worry is solid, reliable information from credible sources Make decisions regarding health care practices based upon scientific medical evidence Share the knowledge you have with others; correct misperceptions and rumours

Suggestions for Staying Informed Check the UN’s pandemic website for staff regularly Seek out additional information from credible, scientific sources – CDC, WHO, State Departments of Health (NY, NJ, CT) Be aware of misinformation from more “fringe media” sources Evaluate the information you hear – – Is it from a credible, scientific source? – Does the source have a “hidden agenda”? (e.g., fostering fear)

Staying Healthy: Staying Healthy: Managing Stress Strong connection between emotional well-being and physical health Effectively managing stress contributes to a strong immune system A strong immune system is one of your “flu defense tools” Prevents anxiety and depression AND – you will feel and function better

Stress Management Strategies

Suggestions for Staying Healthy Maintain a routine that balances physical and mental activity, work and leisure hours If you do not have a regular stress management practice (e.g., meditation, etc.) consider starting one Stay connected! Social support is vital to staying health Maintain preventive health practices: – Balanced diet – Sufficient sleep – Regular exercise – Leisure activities If you are in an identified risk group, get vaccinated for H1N1 as soon as possible

Staying Connected: Staying Connected: Talking with Children Be calm and reassuring Communicate with the school(s) Keep explanations age appropriate Emphasize that not everyone will get the flu Maintain a normal routine as possible if the outbreak becomes severe and limits movement Emphasize and practice basic hygiene and good prevention behavior – Make a fun activity of hand washing with smaller children by singing the “Happy Birthday” song - this will help normalize the practice

Staying Connected: Staying Connected: Family Members Plan how to meet the special needs of other members of your family: – Older adults – Family members with special needs Sensory impairments Physical impairments and medical conditions Mental impairments Intellectual impairments Maintain regular contact (phone, , social networking sites, etc.) with your family living in other countries

Staying Ready: Staying Ready: Personal and Family Preparedness Consider making preparedness a family project – get everyone involved and assign tasks Use one of the tools available to guide your planning As difficult as it is, plan for the “worst case scenario” (e.g. quarantine, significant disruption of normal life, loss of life)

Personal and Family Preparedness Emergency contacts Family members with special needs Transportation Medical care and medications Stockpiling food and supplies Insurance information Pets Child care Saving money having cash available Home activities Alternative residence Family contacts Support networks Workplace responsibilities Stress management activities

Lessons Learned  It is impossible to prepare for everything  Self-care and stress management strategies are essential for maintaining well-being  Developing a personal and family preparedness plan is worth the effort  Resiliency can be learned and enhanced

Preparednessfacilitates resilience Preparedness facilitates resilience Resilience facilitates recovery NYHQ Staff Counsellors’ Office SCO Phone: 1 (212)

Dawn Straiton, MSN, NP Chief, Staff Counsellors Office