“We all need a little help from our friends.” It’s more than just a famous line from an old Beatles song. It’s a reminder that we all have struggles in life and that none of us were meant to carry the burden of those struggles alone.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Callaway District Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions has hosted a variety of activities throughout the month geared toward raising awareness of the importance of mental health programs like the ones they offer.

“At Senior Life Solutions we are meeting the needs of older adults, but in the month of May we try to recognize the needs of all age groups. So we have done activities in the community, at the school, and at the nursing home,” explained Kelly Herbig, Program Director.

Herbig shared some of the activities hosted by SLS throughout May designed to bring awareness to Mental Health.

- We sent “positive message” coloring pages to the K thru 2nd graders at the Callaway Public School and have them displayed in our office this month.

- We provided Mental Health Awareness labeled water bottles for the students, coaches, and teachers at the Callaway elementary school track and field day on Monday, May 6.

- We have a poster and display table at the entryway of the Callaway Medical Clinic and the Nigel Sprouse Memorial Library in Callaway, as well as one in our Senior Life Solutions office.

- We hosted events at the Grand Generation Manor and Callaway Good Life Center with some treats for the residents.

The month-long activities concluded with an open house at Senior Life Solutions at Callaway District Hospital on Thursday, May 23. Guests could tour the facility, enjoy cake, and sign up for a chance to win a

cont. PAGE 4 - Mental Health raffle prize.

“Our motto is, ‘Where’s there’s hope there’s cake, and there’s always cake’. So we have a raffle basket with baking goods,” said Herbig. “We try to educate throughout the year on the importance of mental health and take away the stigma, but in May we focus a little harder on it.”

Senior Life Solutions is located in the Callaway District Hospital addition that was completed three years ago. Herbig explained that SLS has about 150 programs in 33 states that partner with rural and critical access hospitals. While the programs cater to primarily older adults age 65 and over, Herbig said they have had adults in their late 50s or early 60s who may have health problems or a disability.

“A lot of our older adults have lost a spouse or experienced a change in their living situation or financial situation. There are also health problems as we age,” she shared. “A lot of them are also carrying extra baggage from years ago because we didn’t talk about those things then. They might have had something tragic happen to them and they never had the opportunity to really heal from that.

“A lot of our patients when they walk through the door feel like they are dealing with something all by themselves,” Herbig continued. “The benefit of the group is that they see they are not alone. A lot of people have had a similar experience. We love it when people walk out the door feeling better than when they came in.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with a decline in their mental health, the SLS program wants you to know they are here to help.

For more information or if you or someone you know could benefit from this program, don't hesitate to get in touch with Senior Life Solutions at 308-836-2153.