Winter Wellness Campaign

Winter is quickly approaching and with it may come an increase in social isolation and depression. To combat the increase, Family Advocacy has implemented a Winter Wellness Campaign spanning from October to March to provide classes and activities to help people get out of the house and socialize with their community.

The Polar Stroller Rollers meet at the Arctic Oasis each Monday from 10 to 10:45 a.m. A playgroup meets at the same location and time each Friday, and is geared towards children from birth to 3 years old. Additionally, Morning Light Mindfulness kicks off at community centers; Mondays at the Moose Crossing, Tuesdays at Richardson, Wednesday at Silver Run, and Thursdays at Dallas, from 6 to 7 a.m.

“I wanted to figure out some way to make a big dent in the amount of depression over the winter,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Laura Nichols, director of psychological health, with the 673d Medical Group. “One of the things we wanted to do was target social support as the primary focus, because it’s so integral to how healthy we actually are physically and mentally, and also how we perceive our health. We might not actually be healthier, but if we have good social support, we think we are, and the power of that is really important.”

Participation in any of the classes and activities is highly encouraged as it will present opportunities to build social support and wellbeing. Anyone with base access can attend.

“There are a lot of benefits of increased social networks,” Nichols said. “I’ve noticed here a lot of neighbors don’t really interact, especially in the winter. I wanted to target social support because it has so many great things that coincide with health.”

To help get folks out of the house, Family Advocacy has worked closely with the community centers across both sides of the base so travel is minimal.

People won’t have to go very far, and can even come in their pajamas if they want, Nichols added.

During the Polar Stroller Rollers meetup and playgroup, New Parent Support nurses will be on hand to help parents with questions and concerns pertaining to child development.

“We make sure people feel welcomed and help them meet the other parents,” said Candace Myer, a New Parent Support nurse. “During the playgroup there are structural activities, arts and crafts, and then story time. It all helps to get the kids ready for kindergarten.

“[The campaign] is very important because social isolation and depression is very common here in Alaska. This can negatively affect bonding, parenting, and emotional wellness.”

While social isolation and depression are common, the leaders of the campaign hope to mitigate the numbers.

“The main goal of the campaign is to enhance wellness across the base,” Nichols said. “We want to make sure those social networks are not only stronger, but more diverse, and to see if we can decrease the numbers in depression over the span of the winter.”