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During a typical disaster, Red Cross volunteers would check on how someone is coping through a face-to-face visit, however, in keeping with COVID-19 physical distancing requirements, teams are currently doing daily check-ins by phone. In Saskatchewan, volunteers have already made more than 200 wellness check phone calls to people with vulnerabilities being supported in self-isolation.

Pandemic or no pandemic, one of the hardest things to go through in life is significant loss.
Grief is always difficult, but especially if you are alone or cannot be with a friend or family member. 

Sometimes the news can feel overwhelming and like it is only getting worse. Traumatic events can be sudden and unexpected. It is common to feel helpless, confused, angry or worried. It’s hard to understand why these things happen, or what it means for the future. Sometimes we might feel nothing at all. While there is no standard way to feel or act, there are some ways that you can recognize the signs of extreme stress in yourself and those around you, how you can practice self-care and how you can help support others.

A couple of years ago, Gwen Schick retired. She discovered that she missed meeting people in the course of her travels for work. So, Gwen started volunteering as a Friendly Phone volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan.
The Friendly Phone program pairs volunteers with seniors who feel they could benefit from weekly phone calls. That’s it. 

Normally, when someone loses everything they own in an apartment fire, the Canadian Red Cross Personal Disaster Assistance Team (PDAT) arrives on the scene with blankets and teddy bears to offer warmth and comfort. That’s how it worked before COVID-19.

Many Canadians have been home for a week or even longer by now, and we all know that can get a little boring. If you’re worried about staying entertained while isolated, then we have a list for you, whether looking to be entertained by performing arts, in need of kids’ activities to online education or even mental health support, there’s something here for you to enjoy.

How are you doing right now? The past few days and weeks have been stressful and for many people that stress and unease will continue.  While we’re spending so much time focusing on staying healthy, it’s important that our mental health is part of that. Here are some ways to take care of your mental health, whether your worried about current events, spending time alone, or caring for children.

As Canadians are encouraged to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, families are facing the challenge of keeping children’s needs met while at home.