Mental health is more of a priority than ever before. We want to ensure that our caregivers and their families are healthy, mind, body and spirit—that’s why we offer Lyra, a mental health resource, as part of our Caregiver Assistance Program.

The need for mental health care

Mood disorders like major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are on the rise and according to the Anxiety & Depression Society of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in our country, affecting just over 18 percent of the population. Many people have had worsening mental health due to the pandemic.

Today, people are more open about mental health—including celebrities and athletes like Simone Biles who stepped back from the Tokyo Olympics to protect her mental wellbeing.

But as a recent survey by The National Alliance on Mental Illness shows, being more open “does not always translate to better outcomes – people of color are less likely to say they are coping well with changes to everyday life during the pandemic compared to white respondents, despite being more open about their mental health.”

Barriers to mental health care

It’s often expensive or time consuming to find mental health services, so many people leave their symptoms untreated, soldiering through rather than seeking help. We don’t want to that to be the case for our caregivers.

About the Lyra Caregiver Assistance Program benefit

Lyra offers better care with superior providers and proven treatments. It has a nationwide network of specialists for children, adults and couples, and gives caregivers access to therapists, coaches and physicians—available in-person, via live video or onsite. These care providers are expertly matched to caregivers’ individual needs, resulting in measurable, life-changing outcomes.

Swedish caregivers and eligible family members receive:

• Up to 25 counseling or coaching sessions per eligible member per year
• Easy online sign-up and scheduling and options to meet in-person or via live video
• Therapist-matching with care providers who work with your schedule
• Realtime availability for many providers
• Video coaching
• Self-care apps

Other ways we care for our caregivers

Doing health for good is about taking care of each other—and the Lyra Caregiver Assistance benefit is one way we are caring for our caregivers. Other programs for our caregivers’ wellbeing include:

• Choose Well, our wellbeing program that supports daily engagement, social connections and wellbeing resources
• Back-up Child and Elder Care, to help with planned and unplanned care disruptions for your children, adult family members or elders
• Nicotine-free, a nicotine cessation support program
• Weight management, digital programs to manage weight and risk of developing diabetes and heart disease
• Tuition reimbursement, financial assistance to help develop your skills and achieve your career goals

Are you interested in working somewhere that cares about your mental health? Check out our job listings.