R&R Insurance Blog

As the summer months approach and we want to maximize our time outside, it is important to remember sun safety tips. We spend so much of these months at festivals, the lake, up north, etc. But, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 5 million people will receive treatment for skin cancer each year. In addition, it is important to educate yourself about skin cancer health disparities.

What ethnicity is most affected?

• 1 in 38 White people
• 1 in 167 Hispanic people
• 1 in 1,000 Black people

While screening and early detection are key for skin cancer, it is also equally important to focus on prevention. Please view these summer safety tips and share with your employees as we kick off our enjoyable summer!

Reach out to our own Strategic Wellbeing Consultant, Taylor Hahn, to discuss next steps as many of our other employer groups have found this to be a successful approach.

The latest Health Resources and Services Administration data estimates that 122 million Americans (37% of the population) live in areas with a mental health professional shortage. It would take an additional 6,398 mental health providers to fill those gaps. Mental health shortages across the nation range in severity but are generally found in rural areas.

Experts predict that within the next year, the United States will be short between 14,280 and 31,109 mental health professionals.

“We have a chronic shortage of psychiatrists, and it’s going to keep growing. People can’t get care. It affects their lives, their ability to work, to socialize or even to get out of bed,” (Saul Levin, MD, CEO and Medical Director of the American Psychiatric Association).

Amid this shortage, we have included a few definitions and resources to help with mental health issues. The graphic below breaks down the difference between mental health, mental illness, mental wellbeing, and mental fitness. 

Mental health is all around us, but it’s often misunderstood. This Roadmap to Mental Health includes some quick info to help demystify what we mean by “mental health” and how to talk about it. Although it can be difficult to talk about mental health in the workplace, doing so benefits everyone. When employers and managers address mental health, employees are happier, productivity improves, and the workplace becomes a healthier environment.

Reach out to our own Strategic Wellbeing Consultant, Taylor Hahn, to discuss next steps as many of our other employer groups have found this to be a successful approach.

According to Enrich.org, "A Northwestern Mutual study found that 44 percent of Americans stated that financial concerns were their number one stressor, with more than one in four feeling depressed about finances at least monthly and two out of ten feeling depressed weekly, daily, or hourly."

Whether it be the swipe of a card, or the handing over of a paper bill, people are impacted by finances daily. The toll is not just on one's bank account. Larger effects include physical and mental health symptoms, negative implications within the workplace, and developing a vicious cycle that furthers these negative effects. 

According to WebMD, "if your financial wellness is low and you have high financial stress, you're twice as likely to have poor overall health. Experts found that you're four times as likely to get some sort of condition."

A Money and Mental Health survey of nearly 5,500 people with mental health problems found that, while unwell:

• 93% spent more than usual
• 92% found it harder to make financial decisions
• 74% put off playing bills
• 71% avoided dealing with creditors
• 56% took out a loan that they would not otherwise have taken out

Tips to gain better financial wellbeing, according to HelpGuide.org:

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/coping-with-financial-stress.htm

• Tip 1: Talk to someone
  • Get professional advice
  • Open up to friends and family
• Tip 2: Take inventory of your finances
  • Include every source of income
  • Keep track of ALL your spending
  • List your debts
  • Identify your spending patterns and triggers
  • Look to make small changes
  • Eliminate impulse spending
  • Go easy on yourself
• Tip 3: Make a plan – and stick to it
  • Devise a solution
  • Put your plan into action
  • Monitor your progress
  • Don't get derailed by setbacks
• Tip 4: Create a monthly budget
  • Include everyday expenses in your budget
    • i.e. groceries, gas, rent/mortgage, utilities, clothes, etc. 
  • Remember annual expenses
    • i.e. car insurance, property taxes, etc. 
  • Unexpected/Variable expenses
    • i.e. medical expenses, car repairs, etc. 
  • Prioritize your spending
    • pay the necessities first, such as covering the electrical bill and buying groceries. After those are covered, figure out where the rest can go, such as debt payments, entertainment, etc. 
  • Start an emergency fund
    • start building up to one month's income
  • Enlist support from your spouse, partner, kids
• Tip 5: Manage your overall stress
  • Exercise
  • Practice relaxation techniques like meditation and yoga
  • Improve your sleep
  • Eat a balanced diet
  • Boost your self-esteem
  • Practice gratitude

According to the National Association of Community Health Centers, more than 100 million people in the United States don't have a primary care provider. 

Primary care is crucial to help manage and prevent chronic illness, especially when chronic conditions are a reason healthcare costs continue to rise. The younger generations may be the ones lacking a primary care provider the most because they feel their health is invincible. 

However, through a primary care exam, we have client success stories about health conditions being caught in the exact right time. It is important one finds a primary care provider they trust and feel comfortable with. 

Please share and promote this infographic with employees around the importance of preventive care. 

Interested in tying a workplace incentive to a preventive care exam?

It is officially the month of February! The holidays are over and the new year is in full effect. But, February, especially in Wisconsin, can be daunting for some. The days feel long with the lack of sunshine, it may be brutally cold, and some are recovering financially from multiple holiday party engagements. 

With that in mind, prioritizing mental health is even more of a priority.  

This one page flyer, can be distributed to employees to remind them that while financial stress can be a burden on mental health in addition to winter blues, there are multiple ways/strategies to combat it.

• Reframing mindset.
• Leaning on a support system.
• Working with a financial planner.
• Referencing the community.
• Avoiding negativity.
• Getting outside.
• Increasing light within the home.
• Organizing
• Exercise

Last but not least, February is also American Heart Month. The American Heart Association is a fantastic resource for healthy eating, fitness, lifestyle, health topics and more. Don’t forget to view their site and maybe even distribute an article or statistic.

As we enter into 2023, many will set intentions to make healthier choices, especially around nutritional components. In the fast-paced world we live in, many rely on pre-made or on-the-go food choices. However, those food choices often have ingredients added to make them have a long shelf-life. The rule of thumb, traditionally, is if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it. On the other hand, many will rely on fad diets. Fad diets are not something that is sustainable long-term. In fact, most who participate in fad diets regain back their weight and more. 

When it comes to setting nutritional intentions, remember small changes lead to big rewards. Could you develop a grocery list and plan out your meals for the week? Could you add in more vegetables and whole grains? To help spark your interest, we have included the January Recipe of the Month which is slow cooker beef stew. This recipe is less than ten ingredients, feeds six and can be completed in the slow cooker in four hours. Healthy meals truly can be that easy!

So, with this new year, we encourage you to try new healthy recipes that fit your preferences, eat a variety of foods, write out your weekly meal plan and of course continue moving!

If you are interested in discussing wellness programming further please reach out to our Strategic Wellbeing Consultant, Taylor Hahn.

As we move into a new year, many businesses are considering implementing or enhancing their wellbeing programs due to the continued rise in healthcare costs along with improving their overall employee wellbeing. In addition, organizations are focused on creating a culture of wellbeing in order to better attract and retain employees. 

In 2020, the health care costs of people with at least one chronic condition were responsible for 86% of health care spending. More than half of all American adults have at least one chronic condition.

Therefore, even small employers cannot afford to not address employee wellness (CDC, 2020). Employers who implement a wellbeing program can see increased productivity, reduced time away from work, reduced disability costs, decreased healthcare costs through cost avoidance and high financial return on investment (Shared Values Shared Results, 2016).

At R&R Insurance, we know our clients fall into a wide spectrum on their wellbeing journey. With that in mind, we created a Workplace Wellness Guide with six steps to wellness success! Workplace wellbeing programs can be daunting to begin or evaluate, so we've streamlined the process to include six easy to follow steps.

Throughout the document, you will: 

1. Create a Wellness Team
2. Collect Data
3. Develop an Operating Plan
4. Choose Appropriate Health Initiatives
5. Create a Supportive Environment
6. Consistently Evaluate Outcomes

There are plenty of credible resources throughout the guide so employers who currently have a turnkey wellness program will still find it beneficial as well as employers who are starting from grassroots. We hope you find this information helpful to begin and evaluate your wellbeing culture. 

If you are interested in the guide and/or discussing wellness programming further please reach out to our Strategic Wellbeing Consultant, Taylor Hahn.

When beginning a conversation, we are accustomed to ask:

"how are you?"

There's no doubt that many of us ask that very question multiple times a day. When on the receiving end of that question, you now have two options which are to answer truthfully or give the standard:

                               "good and you?"

What information are we really obtaining with that vague question? Could we begin to ask better questions not only in the workplace but at home too? At the most recent Wellness Council of Wisconsin Conference, Zach Mercurio, PhD provided attendees with better questions to ask.

No more "How are you?"

Try asking these six questions instead:

• What has your attention right now?
• What kind of day have you had?
• What do you need help with today? How can I help?
• What's been most meaningful to you today?
• Who did you help and who helped you?

By asking better questions, you will begin to have more insight into your co-workers and families day and start having meaningful conversations. Hopefully, you will try testing these out immediately--team meetings is the perfect place to do so!

Lastly, while asking better questions, Zach Mercurio, PhD also emphasized the importance of creating mattering. Follow the NAN points from him below too!

If you are interested in discussing wellness programming further please reach out to our Strategic Wellbeing Consultant, Taylor Hahn.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that adults over the age of 19 and under the age of 65 get regularly screened for anxiety. This is the first time the Task Force has recommended anxiety screenings in adult primary care without symptoms. 

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), "anxiety disorders are the most comment mental illness in the U.S. affecting 40 million adults (19.1% of the population) age 18 and older every year." While anxiety disorders are highly treatable, less than 40% of those suffering are receiving treatment. 

While this proposed recommendation is not final and is in the public comment period through October 17^th, this is an opportunity for the public to provide input and perspective for final approval considerations.

This News Brief explains further details around this. 

If you are interested in discussing wellness programming further please reach out to our Strategic Wellbeing Consultant, Taylor Hahn.

Fall is right around the corner, so that means you may be considering how to promote the flu shot to your employees. Just like last year, flu symptoms are very similar to COVID symptoms; receiving a flu shot could save lives and resources. Not to mention, having healthy employees benefits the company since sick time is significantly reduced. While the flu season is unpredictable, you shouldn't take any chances. Consider hosting an onsite clinic or promoting employees to visit an in-network pharmacy/provider. Either way, education on the flu shot is very important.

Sending email blasts, showcasing posters around the office, even a direct mail reminder with specific steps on how to obtain a flu shot will be beneficial to communicate to your employees. That way, it takes the guess work out of the research for the employee. If you're interested in hosting an onsite clinic, feel free to contact our Strategic Wellbeing Consultant to begin the facilitation process; keep in mind that the minimum participation ranges vary from 25-50 participants. 

Lastly, common myths employees have about the flu shot vary from the flu vaccine will make you sick, vaccines aren't safe, the flu isn't bad, etc. Consider promoting this Get the Facts flyer to your employees in time for flu season.

If you are interested in discussing wellness programming further please reach out to our Strategic Wellbeing Consultant, Taylor Hahn.