News alert icon
Find the latest information for Hurricane support and other topics such as COVID-19, disaster support, and hurricane preparation.
Senior man picking apples from a tree

Find a plan near you

Enter your ZIP code to learn about the CarePlus Medicare Advantage plans in your area, or call us at 1-855-605-6171; TTY: 711.

Enter ZIP code

Mental Well Being

At CarePlus, we understand the importance of maintaining a healthy body and mind. Part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is taking time to focus on your mental well-being – which includes emotional, physical and social-well-being.1 Staying connected with loved ones and friends can help keep your mental well-being in a good place.

There are plenty of ways you can stay connected, be active, and maintain meaningful relationships with others. Here are a few suggestions.

  1. Call and text with friends, family, and neighbors.
  2. Video chat with others from your laptop, tablet, or smartphone using WhatsApp, FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, or other video chat technologies.
  3. Perform using video chat, like playing an instrument for friends or reading a bedtime story to a child.
  4. Use social media, like Facebook or Instagram, to connect with old friends and share pictures with others.

Sometimes, it is okay to not feel your best emotionally and there may be barriers keeping you from being social. CarePlus is mindful about loneliness and social isolation and how it may affect your mental well-being and your health. Some populations are at a higher risk for both. 1

What is loneliness and social isolation?

Loneliness is the feeling of being alone, regardless of your social activities and interactions.

Social isolation is a lack of social connections and can lead to loneliness.1

What are the health risks of loneliness and social isolation?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recent studies have found that:

  • Social isolation was associated with about a 50% increase in risk for dementia1
  • Loneliness was associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide1
  • Social isolation and loneliness was associated with a 29% increase of heart disease and a 32% increase in stroke1

If you are having feelings of loneliness and social isolation, speak to your doctor about your options. CarePlus also has resources that can help, such as participating in a SilverSneakers activity or a Sharecare Challenge.

Sources

1 What is Mental Health. (2022, February 28)Retrieved on April 26, 2022, from Mental Health.Gov, https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health#:~:text=Mental%20health%20includes%20our%20emotional,childhood%20and%20adolescence%20through%20adulthood (link opens in new window)

2 Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions. (2021, April 29). Retrieved on April 26, 2022, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html (link opens in new window)

3 Laughter is the Best Medicine (2021, July). Retrieved April 26,2022, from HelpGuide, https://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotional-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm (link opens in new window)

Jump to another topic to learn more: