Wellbeing Wednesdays at the Hub

HELPING PEOPLE IN ISOLATION DEAL WITH STRESS…. Refugee councillor advocates at Primary Care Connect, Bec Nicoll and Sonali Jayasundera. Photo: Steve Hutcheson

For new arrivals and refugees, there is a new level of stress that impacts their wellbeing beyond some of the struggles they may have faced prior to their arrival.

Isolation is having a profound effect on the mental health welfare of the community at large, often amplified in the case of those who are still making the adjustments to living in a new country.

Primary Care Connect, as the name implies, has a role in the community to assist people to remain connected and healthy.

Leading people to tune into how they are dealing with stress is one function, refugee councillor advocates, Bec Nicoll and Sonali Jayasundera, endeavour to engage people, and in particular women in new arrival communities to recognise in themselves.

“There is a relationship between our feelings or emotions and our bodies and we lead people to understand that connection as a means of reducing stress largely through movement and exercise,” said Bec.

“Because of the isolation requirement, we undertake a lot of our communications on Zoom or by phone with the aid of a translator,” said Sonali. “The essential mission is to keep people connected.”

Primary Care Connect is a non-profit community health organisation located at 399 Wyndham Street, Shepparton and can be contacted on 5832 3200.