Page 8 - D16602 - LBMAO - Oct 2020 Reporter - web optimized

Insurance UPDATE

Contributed by:
morneau shepell

CANADA'S MENTAL HEALTH DECLINES IN

AUGUST, REVERSING TrEND OF IMPROVEMENT

SINCE APRIL

orneau Shepell, a leading provider of total remains unchanged.
Mwellbeing, mental health and digital mental “The financial and economic impact of the
health services, has released its monthly Mental pandemic can’t be ignored, however, there also
Health Index™ report, showing a consistent negative needs to be more attention to the ongoing toll
mental health score for the fifth consecutive month the pandemic is having on the mental wellbeing
and a decline from July’s score of -10. of Canadians. This decline is cause for concern,”
"The "new normal" The findings indicate that Canadians’ said Stephen Liptrap, president and chief executive
mental health continues to be affected officer. “Canadians’ initial feeling of optimism as we
has become a by the impact of COVID-19, including started to reopen does not erase the impact of the
household term concerns about a second wave, ongoing pandemic. To avoid further declines, public health
economic uncertainties, and the added officials and all levels of government must take the
since the pandemic concern of students returning to school. necessary steps to provide support where it’s needed
began; however, The Mental Health Index™ score most and continue to put the mental health of
is -11. The score measures the Canadians first.”
Canadians are still improvement or decline in mental
having difficulty health from the pre-2020 benchmark Back-to-school anxieties heightened as a result of the
of 75. The Mental Health Index™ pandemic
adapting to their also tracks sub-scores against the Safely reopening schools and getting children
new routines." benchmark, measuring the risk of back into the classroom has been top-of-mind for
parents, teachers and youth across the country in
anxiety (-12.9), depression (-12.7),
optimism (-12.7), isolation (-12.1) and recent weeks. The Mental Health Index™ found the
work productivity (-11.1). All sub-scores worsened mental health scores of individuals with one (-15.2) or
when compared to the improvements seen the
previous month, excluding work productivity, which Insurance Update continued on page 20...

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