Wellness support a click away

With lockdown life seemingly becoming a norm in large parts of the country, and one in five Australians reporting high or very high levels of psychological distress in June 2021, there has never been a more challenging time to maintain good health and wellbeing.

But help is available.

As part of Women’s Health Week (6-10 September), and ahead of R U OK Day on 9 September, MAX Solutions is reminding our customers that there is a range of free, easy-to-use health and wellbeing tools and services available to use.

Chief among these resources is our health and wellbeing offering, MAXConnect Wellness.

Launched in mid-2020, MAXConnect Wellness is a holistic health and wellbeing platform that was developed in partnership with Canadian-based technology company NexJ Systems.

The platform includes fitness and goal trackers, health hints and tips, a library of mindfulness and wellbeing information, as well as connectivity to local health specialists. It is currently available for free to all customers in the jobactive program at MAX Employment.

Health and Wellbeing Service Manager, Dr Cara Dunn, has overseen the development and rollout of the platform and said it’s a tool that can be used to maintain a sense of normality in these difficult times.

“Now more than ever, we want to be able to be sure that people are well looked after and managing their everyday lives the best they can,” Dr Cara said.

“The MAXConnect Wellness platform gives people the opportunity to learn techniques to improve their health and wellbeing, as well as set and manage goals towards gaining employment."

“We know that physical and mental health are very closely tied – and when you improve one, you almost always improve the other.

Jobseekers constrained by COVID restrictions are understandably finding their motivation dropping. This platform helps raise motivation levels by improving the user’s mental and physical health.”

MAXConnect Wellness is currently being used by hundreds of jobseekers on the organisation’s caseload.

Queensland-based Kim* is one such user.

As the sole carer and home-school provider for her high-needs son, Queensland-based Kim found she was experiencing low self-confidence and began shying away from the vocational training she was hoping would lead to long-term employment.

Kim was referred to the MAXConnect Wellness platform by her case manager, and immediately saw results when using it to track her goals. She commented that she found the mindfulness activities on the platform particularly useful.

“Using the app really helped motivate me to do yoga and to learn how to start my day relaxed," said Kim.

“Now it’s just a habit for me! I love doing yoga so much, and I can see how much it helps me to feel relaxed throughout my day - and at the end of my day. It helps me to think clearer when I feel anxious.”

After five months using the MAXConnect Wellness platform, in conjunction with consultation sessions with her MAX representative, Kim was confident enough to enrol in an employment program designed to get her into her field of interest. Kim credits the platform with helping her manage her anxiety and feeling confident enough to re-enter employment.

*Real name not provided.