Eve Graham, a mental health charge nurse in the Community Mental Health Team based at Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre, has witnessed first-hand the impact of Covid-19 on people’s mental health.
Together with colleagues she is determined to lend a helping hand to try to ease some of the stresses and strains.
Eve explained: “We know that the suicide rate has risen (and worryingly so in young men who were much loved and still had their whole lives ahead of them).
We have also witnessed the stresses of our frontline workers throughout the pandemic, those engaged in healthcare, teaching, retail and transport. We have seen colleagues lost (including bus drivers at a local depot) and the effect on our older adult population, many of those who have felt isolated and alone.
“Care home residents were unable to see family and friends for large periods of time. Young children and teenagers had to cope with not seeing friends or grandparents and witnessed all the anxiety associated with the virus as well as dealing with not being able to go to school. University and college students have been unable to socialise at a time in their lives when they should be going out and having fun. Many people have lost their jobs and many businesses have been plunged into a financial crisis. For some, sadly they experienced the grief of losing loved ones to the virus or lost a loved one without being able to say goodbye or attend a funeral. These of course are only a few examples.
“I think that we can all agree that we may see the impact of this pandemic for some time and mental health charities and psychology services will need all the help they can get. Even if it is just to help spruce up a waiting area for those attending appointments to help make it more welcoming.
“My amazing nursing team who work in Clackmannanshire want to do something to help, as do my family. That’s why we’ve set up a Just Giving page to raise as much money as possible to support those suffering mental ill-health due to or exacerbated by the pandemic
“Times of course are hard for so many financially so if you are not in a position to donate please share and ask your friends to share. I will of course provide evidence of all payments made to mental health charities and services.”
You can donate to Eve’s fundraising page here.
