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Resources to Support You During COVID-19

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COVID WELLNESS

Learn more about resources to keep you well during this crisis, including free exercise classes, tips on working from home, free cultural experiences and more!

Physical Wellness

Free, Online Exercise Resources

GatorCare-Specific Resources Related to Covid-19

  • GatorCare members should refer to this post, which contains updates on pharmacy and medical changes put in place to keep members healthy and safe
  • In partnership with Lucet Behavioral Health (Formerly known as New Directions), GatorCare members can talk to specially trained behavioral health counselors at no cost 24/7, this line is for acute, in-the-moment care, patients who would benefit from more routine, long-term care will be referred to an in-network provider, call 1-833-848-1762
  • In partnership with Florida Blue, GatorCare members can call a 24/7 nurse line to get answers to health questions, including a review of symptoms, call 1-877-789-2583
  • Effective 4/9/20, all GatorCare members over the age of 18 have free and unlimited access to Talkspace, which offers online therapy via private messaging or live video from a secure, HIPAA-compliant digital platform. Learn more and get started today.

Sleep Resources

  • GatorCare offers a 28-day sleep challenge to help participants develop healthy sleep routines and ultimately better sleep

For Individuals in Recovery

Food Resources & Articles

Emotional Wellness

Mental Health

  • Limit your exposure to social media and sensationalized news, obtain information from reliable sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Effective 4/9/20, all GatorCare members over the age of 18 have free and unlimited access to Talkspace, which offers online therapy via private messaging or live video from a secure, HIPAA-compliant digital platform. Learn more and get started today.
  • GatorCare members, in partnership with Lucet Behavioral Health (Formerly known as New Directions), can talk to specially trained behavioral health counselors at no cost 24/7 by calling 1-833-848-1762
  • Employee Assistance Programs for UF and COM employees and UF Health employees
  • Send gratitude to a healthcare worker, read notes of gratitude or sign up to receive gratitude if you are working the front lines
  • 2-Minute “Resilience Reset” offers daily guided meditations with self-help tips based in resilience science brought to you by UF Psychiatry
  • UF Health’s Arts in Medicine’s AIM to Connect page has virtual resources to listen to music, learn visual arts skills and techniques, enjoy poetry, reduce your stress with mindful movement and more, follow their Facebook page to receive updates on upcoming virtual concerts and more
  • Crisis/Emergency counseling for UF community by phone:  24 hours a day, 7 days/week
    • 24 hours a day, 7 days/week
    • UF Crisis & Emergency phone counseling for Students: (352) 392-1575
    • UF Crisis & Emergency phone counseling for Faculty/Residents/Postdocs/Staff: (352) 392-5787 or 1-833-306-0103 (toll free)
    • Crisis & Emergency phone counseling for UF Health/Shands Employees: 352-265-5493 or 866-643-9375
    • National Suicide Hotline: Call 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433); Or online chat
    • Alachua County Crisis Center: 352-264-6789
    • Alachua County Sexual Assault Helpline:  Call 352-264-6760 or 1-866-252-5439 (toll free)
    • Nacional de Prevencion del Suicidio (en espanol): 1-888-628-9454 (toll free)

    • UF Health Shands Crisis/Emergency Phone counseling for Shands Employees: 352-265-5493

  • For employees seeking mental health services including: psychiatric medication consultation and management, free individual short-term counseling, individual psychotherapy, or resilience-based group therapy all the UF Health Staff Telepsych Services center between 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. (7 days per week) at 352-265-5459 or email c19peersupport@shands.ufl.edu (please provide your name, contact number, and best time(s) to receive a call back)

  • Tips and resources from Mental Health America on managing stress, anxiety, mental illness and more through this uncertain time
  • See additional tips in the “Helping Kids Cope During the COVID-19 Outbreak” section below
  • *HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED VIDEO TO DECREASE COVID-19 ANXIETY* “Empowering & Protecting Your Family During COVID-19 Pandemic”

Meditation Resources

  • Headspace, the mindfulness and meditation app, has free resources including many guided meditations (scroll down for a list of meditations for nearly any situation) and has a free trial to see if you would like to use the app further.
  • Ten Percent Happier has a great Coronavirus Sanity Guide which contains guided meditations and talks specific to the virus, they also have a live sanity break weekdays at 3 p.m., finally they are offering a complimentary subscription for healthcare professionals
  • Calm has a plethora of resources to help folks stay calm through covid-19 including a variety of meditations, a daily meditation live stream, resources for kids and more
  • Insight Timer’s Free Library offers free resources including guided meditations for adults and kids, insightful talks on coping during these stressful times, and more
  • UF Psychiatry Mindful Relaxation Minutes Archive offers a collection of guided meditations
  • UF Meditation & Relaxation provides a list of meditation and mindfulness resources

 

Social Wellness

Ways to Socialize While Maintaining Social/Physical Distancing Precautions

  • Video chat with friends and family (Facetime, Android video chat, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype, Houseparty app)
  • Host a “Netflix Party”
  • Have an Online Karaoke party
  • Play an online multiplayer game together
  • Play charades via Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype
  • Host an online scavenger hunt (meet via Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype then give everyone a fun list of items to find in their house and “show off” what they find when time is up!)
  • Host a photo/video scavenger hunt—give them a list of silly things to do and take a photo/video of themselves to share with the group (e.g., headstand, attempt to juggle, eat a hot pepper)
  • Play Pictionary via Zoom using the screenshare feature
  • Play digital board games together
  • Practice your photography skills and share with friends
  • Make/share TikTok videos
  • Play “Car Pool Karaoke” via Zoom—take turns picking a song and challenge other(s) to sing along. Everyone starts muted, then selectively unmute friends to share their performance with the group
  • Host an online journal club or book club
  • Watch a movie or show “together” via Zoom, Facetime Group, Google Hangouts, Skype, Facebook Live or host a movie Tweet-along via Twitter (start your own #hashtag)
  • Do a craft “together” via Zoom, Facetime Group, or Google Hangouts
  • Write a story together—one person in the group writes a couple sentences, then emails it to the next group member who adds another couple sentences and passes it along. Keep going as many rounds as it remains fun!
  • Play a social online game together (e.g., Words With Friends, Draw Something, Golf Clash)
  • Engage in Virtual Team Building Activities
  • Send emails, notes, texts to your friends and family expressing gratitude and/or admiration
  • Reconnect with your partner or loved ones by asking these 36 intimacy building questions

Resources for Parents

Helping Kids Cope During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Childcare Services

  • Gator Sitters is a group of UF medical and physician assistant students who are offering child and pet care services for UF and UF Health healthcare workers
  • Bouncers Indoor Playground has a school-age day camp (8am to 5pm) to support health professionals looking for childcare solutions, first-come first-served
  • Twinkle Toes Nanny Agency has nannies and baby-sitters and is giving priority to health professionals, contact the owner, Kristy Bickmeyer, at kristy@twinkletoesnanny.com to make arrangements
  • Bambino Sitters has nannies and baby-sitters available
  • Nanny Poppinz Nanny Agency requires no upfront fees or application
  • Sitter City offers baby-sitting services

  • La Petite Academy is waiving their registration fee and offering a 10% tuition discount to essential employees that are in need of childcare during this time. Contact Nissa Pfeffer, Director, at 352-371-0720 or npfeffer@lapetite.com.

  • Holy Trinity Episcopal School: Open 6:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and accepting children from the ages 6 weeks to 5 years old for temporary enrollment. To learn more about the preschool, visit http://www.htesgnv.org. Contact Jason Hill, Head of School, at 352-377-2290.
  • A Hidden Child’s World:  Accepting children 2 years old and above. They are open from 6:30 a.m.- 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, please call 352.378.6343.
  • For additional childcare resources for UF Health employees, visit the Bridge page

Online Lessons & Activities for Kids

Online Storytime

Spiritual Wellness

Daily Reflections

  1. What am I grateful for today?
  2. Who am I checking in on or connecting with today?
  3. What expectations of “normal” am I letting go of today?
  4. How am I getting outside today?
  5. How am I getting in movement today?
  6. What beauty am I cultivating, creating or inviting in today?

Journaling through Covid-19

Consider keeping a journal to remember this historical event and work through your feelings. Below are some prompts to consider:

  • How has this impacted your daily life?
  • How has it affected your view of the important work you do?
  • How has spending time at home with family influenced your interactions and feelings toward your family? OR How has spending time home alone influenced your interactions and feelings toward your family?
  • What has happened during this crisis that has surprised you in a positive way? What has happened during this crisis that has surprised you in a negative way?
  • What can you be grateful for in this moment?
  • How might this experience impact your life long-term?
  • Printable Time Capsule Journal for Kids

National and Local Religious Services

Intellectual Wellness

Free Online Cultural Experiences

Free Online Classes & Learning Opportunities

Occupational Wellness

Resources for Those Who Can’t Do Their Job During COVID-19:

Work from Home Tips

Before work

  • Wake up at the same time that you would if you had to commute, and avoid jumping right into work when you wake up
  • Exercise and get some movement before you start your work day
  • Shower and get dressed
  • Have breakfast, and if you can eat it away from your work screen, that’s even better
  • Do one chore in the morning, this can help reduce the distraction of chores throughout the day
  • Set your goals for the day

While Working

  • Have a dedicated office space, even if you don’t have a home office, having a space that is your dedicated “office” can help you create boundaries between home and work, avoid working on the couch or in your bed
  • Work with your team about managing expectations, the way you work at home is going to be very different than how you work in the office, and some people may find themselves much more productive at home, while others are less productive
  • Take breaks every 90-120 minutes, ideally getting outside and moving around
  • Stay connected with online social time, this can be a Zoom meeting just to chat with your coworkers, like you would chat at the water cooler

After Work

  • Turn off your computer and leave your work area, even if you are going to use your computer for something else later, this helps you feel like you’re physically “leaving” your office
  • Get outside if you can, take a walk when your workday is over to clear your head
  • Connect with someone who isn’t a coworker, call or video chat with a friend
  • Set your goals or intentions for the next day, including work goals and non-work goals

Work from Home WITH KIDS Tips

  • If you have another adult at home with you, consider a split schedule, where one parent is on “parent duty” or light work duty, while the other parent can focus fully on their work, the working parent should go to a separate room if possible to create an “out of sight” mentality
  • Consider working some odd hours if possible, like in the mornings before kids wake up or nights when the kids have gone to bed
  • Create and stick to a schedule for yourself and the kids, here’s a great example schedule for kids of various ages, involve your kids in the creation of the schedule if possible
  • Plan breaks with the kids and downtime without them
  • Rotate your kids through tasks that oscillate between things that require your attention and things that don’t require as much of your focus
  • Come to terms with the fact that screen time for your kids will likely increase
  • Prioritize your projects and be flexible and kind with yourself as you acclimate to this new work flow