Getting to Your New Normal

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Getting to Your “New Normal”

COVID-19 has changed your life. It has changed where you are able to go, who you can see and what you do. This has been hard for everyone. It might be some time before you are able to do all of the same things you did before. In the meantime, this book will help you think about how to make the best of what is happening right now. This book will help you think about the things you can control, plan and do right now and help you get to your “New Normal”.

This book is supposed to help you and those that support you. Whether you use this book is your choice. You can use some of the parts of this book, all of it or none at all. Some of the sections are serious, while others are more fun. You choose which ones you want to talk about. You don’t need to do the whole book in one day! If you need assistance with working through this book, ask someone you trust to read the information and write down your plans and ideas.

In each section, there are some questions that you might want to ask yourself and write down your answers (or someone will do that for you). There are also some information and resources that might help you if you want to explore the topic a little bit more. Many of the resources are linked in the document. A link shows up as blue words that are underlined like this. When you click on the links, your computer will take you to the additional information. Sometimes those links will open up videos and other times it will open documents with more information for you. If you need help with this, ask someone who supports you, a staff, family, etc.

Staying Healthy and Safe

Keeping Safe during COVID-19

COVID -19 is a virus that is causing people to get sick. It is the reason that you have had to stay home more and not see some of your friends and family. Staying home helps keep everyone safer. While the idea of getting sick can be scary, the important thing to remember is that you can do many things to keep yourself and those around you safe. These are some helpful things you can do:

1. Wash your hands often. 2. Try not to touch your face

3. When you cough or sneeze use a tissue or put your face into your elbow so that your mouth is covered.

4. Stay at least 2 metres or 6 feet away from people around you. (That’s as long as your bed.)

5. Stay home as much as possible especially if you have a cough, sore throat or fever.

6. Connect with your friends, family and others by phone or computer rather than in person.

7. Wipe the areas in your house that are frequently touched with a cloth and disinfectant. This means doorknobs, handrails, wheelchair handles, TV remotes, faucets, etc.

Plain language Explanation of COVID-19 Video that Explains COVID-19

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 Ask those that support you to remind you who they are when they approach you. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize people when their face and eyes are covered up. They could also put a picture of themselves on their shirt.

 If you rely on lip reading to understand others, check to see if they can obtain special masks that have a clear window in them that let you see their lips. These can be made following these instructions: Mask with window instructions

 Some people want to wear a mask as well. Ask someone to help you make or purchase masks if you want to wear one. If you get sick, you will be asked to wear a mask to protect others.

Taking Charge of Your Health

In order to stay healthy and take care of yourself, it’s important that you continue to eat well, be active and get help when you need it. Going out right now can seem scary and may cause you anxiety but you don’t want to delay in seeing your doctor or other health care professionals. Otherwise a small problem could grow into a bigger one. A new option that you should be aware of is having your doctor’s appointment over the phone or computer. While this might not work for every situation, it’s a good option for many issues. Phone your doctor to find out if they are offering this option. This video explains what you could expect if you choose that option: Virtual Health Appointments

Activity #1:

At the end of this guide, after the page that says “Activity #1” you will find the “About My Health” worksheet. You will also find a document with the title “Communication Support Needs during Health Care” that you may want to use to ensure that doctors and nurses remember your rights and provide you with the necessary supports. Once you have completed these forms, keep these documents together and handy so that you can easily take them with you if you get sick.

An additional helpful resource developed recently is the COVID-19 Advanced Care Planning Document

Managing your Feelings:

Things are really different right now. You aren’t doing some of the things that you used to, you are stuck at home and you can’t see some of the people that you want to. On top of that, you may be worried or anxious that you or someone you love will get sick from COVID-19. It is normal for you to be worried, anxious and even angry. It’s important that you talk about these feelings with someone you trust. Sometimes we get so worried, sad or angry that we aren’t coping very well and we need extra help. You are not alone and there is help available. You can phone, text or use a computer to find help. Below is a list of places that can give you that extra help.

 St.Amant COVID-19 Community Wellness Line is open 9am – 9pm, Monday through Thursday and is available to any Manitoban affected by a developmental disability. To access the line call: 204-258-7076 or 1-877-858-7076.

 Klinic Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Phone: 204-786-8686 or 1-888-322-3019 TTY available at 204-784-4097

 Manitoba Suicide Prevention & Support Line – 1-877-435-7170

 Canadian Suicide Prevention Service – This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Phone: 1-833-456-4566

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 First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line – The help line gives free national telephone crisis intervention and counselling support for First Nations and Inuit. Help can be reached free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Counselling is available in English or French. And upon request in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut. 1-855-242-3310

 You can also use a computer to access resources for both mental health and substance abuse available here: Wellness Together Canada

 You can access free Virtual Mental Health Therapy in Manitoba by going to AbiliCBT.

Remember it’s very natural to feel overwhelmed and worried right now and it’s OK to share that with others and ask for help. As you begin to be able to do more things outside your home, this may make you anxious and worried. Some things you can do to help might be:

1. Take it slow. Go out for only brief periods in the beginning.

Staying Connected even While you are Apart

difficult. While you may not be able to see someone in person, there are some things that you can do to keep

connected with those you miss right now.

Activity #2: (A worksheet is available at the end of this guide to use for this activity if that is helpful)

1) Make a list of all the people who you are missing right now. People you are used to seeing during the day, family, friends, community members. Do you have their phone number? Email? Address? Who can you call or email who might be able to help you (or those who are helping you) find out this information.

2) Beside each person’s name, make a plan on how you could connect with them. Options might include:

a. Telephone

b. Write them a letter, draw them a picture and mail it c. Texting

d. Email

e. Video conferencing using FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, etc.

f. Social media – can you follow them on Facebook, Twitter, etc?

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Social Media Safety

If you are connecting with people on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. it is important that you stay safe, just like when you meet new people on the street.

Keeping Active and Entertained

It can be boring to be stuck at home, especially if you can’t have your friends or family over. It’s important to try to find a way to stay active and doing things that are

meaningful to you.

While the weather is nice, it is good to get outside as much as you can. Staying active and moving will keep you healthy. Walking, biking and exercising outside is OK as long as you stay 6 feet or 2 metres away from other people you don’t live with.

You may want to walk through the questions below to get some ideas on what you want to do even while you have to stay at home more!

Activity #3: (a worksheet is available at the end of this guide if you want to use it to help with this activity)

1) Make a list of all the things that you liked to do for fun before COVID-19

2) Beside each item from the list above, brainstorm ways that you could continue to do the things that you used to find enjoyable.

3) Make a list of all the things that you haven’t tried but you would like to either do or learn more about.

4) Beside each item on this new list, write down one thing you could do to get closer to learning or doing these new activities.

5) From the list of ideas, choose at least three things you will do next week. You can continue to come back to this list each week to plan out the weeks ahead.

Looking for ideas? Check out the long list of activities possible at

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Be a Helper

When we are having a hard time, it’s always nice when someone helps us or cheers us up. Right now, many people are struggling because of the impact of COVID-19 and so we all need some cheering up, don’t we! While you can’t control the virus or how it is impacting you right now, you can control what you do and how you react to it. Activity #4 will walk you through some ideas of what you could do to stay positive! One of the amazing things about helping others, is that it makes you feel better too!

Activity #4: (See worksheet at end of guide to help with this activity)

1) Make a list of all the people who you think might need help or cheer right now. These might be people you listed in Activity #2 or others. We’ve put some ideas down on the Activity #4 Worksheet to help get you started.

Gratitude

Another idea to help you stay positive is practicing gratitude. This just means that even though there are things happening that you don’t like right now, you focus on what you are thankful for instead.

Activity #5:

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My Rights during COVID-19

Your rights are always important and even more so right now during a time where you are being asked to stay home and not do certain things.

Right now everyone is experiencing some restrictions on their usual rights in order to be responsible for each other and keep people safe. It will only be temporary while COVID-19 could make lots of people sick.

Some people are worried that because of their disability they won’t get tested or treated for COVID-19. The Canadian Government says that you have rights and cannot be discriminated against. You have a right to fair, equal, and compassionate treatment - the same as anyone else. You and your doctor will decide what is best for you. You have a right to:

 Communication you understand (including an interpreter or with the help of a support worker or family)

 Easy to understand emergency information  Have your needs included in emergency planning

 Have your spiritual or religious views or practices respected

If you want to know more about your rights and responsibilities, now would be a good time to learn! Below are a few resources that might be helpful. Ask someone if you need help to access.

Easy Read Version of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Ten videos that explain your rights in Canada - ASL

Community Living Toronto website has a number of great resources on Rights - https://connectability.ca/2014/11/06/rights/

The building in this picture is the Canadian Human Rights Museum.

While you can’t go visit right now, you could go on a ‘virtual’ tour online. Check out

https://humanrights.ca/visit/explore-the-museum-from-home for more

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Plans for the Future

There are two activities that really help all of us. Reflection (looking back at enjoyable events) and anticipation (looking forward with eagerness to things yet to happen) It is important for all of us to have things that we are eagerly anticipating as well as things that we can't wait to remember... and even now, that is possible.

So while you may not be able to do all of the things you want to do right now, it’s important to make plans for the future.

Now is a good time to dream, plan and learn about the goals that you want to achieve when the COVID-19 is gone.

Activity #6:

Create another poster or vision board for your wall of all the things that you plan to do! Draw, write, cut out/print out pictures that help you focus on your goals that you will achieve once it is safe to do so! Keep adding to it as you think about new things you want to do!

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Communication Support Needs during Health Care

1. Please keep a copy of this document visible at the top of my chart along with any other information about how I communicate and make decisions provided by me, my decision maker, family and/or someone who supports me.

2. Please communicate with me using clear, plain language what the options are, the risks and benefits of each, and what the proposed course of action is. 3. I need support to communicate as outlined on the attached to communicate

effectively and to provide informed consent.

4. If I am able to communicate using my requested accommodations, please ask my opinion about everything.

5. If you have any trouble providing my requested communication supports, please make a video call to my emergency contact who can help. The video call allows my contact to see what I am communicating.

6. If I am unable to communicate at any time and do not have a trusted communication support person present, my emergency contact should be contacted by video before any decision about or change to my care is made. 7. Unless I communicate otherwise, I do not consent to any decision to withhold

treatment just because I have an underlying disability, or based on the

assumption that my life is not as valuable as a nondisabled person, or that I will suffer less if I do not receive treatment.

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Staying Connected even While you are Apart

Click to access in editable Microsoft Word document

People I Miss Contact information How will I connect When will I connect

Example: Joe from Work

Don’t know but will email office to find out

Would like to phone

him Once a week

Example:

Mom Phone: 204-443-2958

Have been calling regularly but would like to try skype so I can see her

Keeping Active and Entertained

Click to access in editable Microsoft Word document

Things I Used to Like to Do How could I do this safely?

Example:

Going to movies

Movie night at home with popcorn. Could use an app to watch remotely with a friend:

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Keeping Active and Entertained

Click to access in editable Microsoft Word document

New Things I want to try How could I do this safely?

Example:

To learn how to knit

Be a Helper

Click to access in editable Microsoft Word document

Who might need help? How could I help safely?

Example:

My neighbour is quite old and doesn’t have any family. They have to stay in their house too!