November eNews - Measuring What Matters
Measuring what matters.
Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted - Albert Einstein.
What matters to you? This is not a question that is unfamiliar to those who work in health care with a WMTY Day started by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and marked by many health services globally on the 9th of June each year. Asking the question is one thing but measuring what those answers might be for different people at different times is quite another.
Last month we heard from the Federal Treasurer that Australia would have a wellbeing budget, and the Government announced its commitment “to measuring what matters to improve the lives of all Australians”. A consultation on the development of a Measuring What Matters Statement commenced in October 2022 and will conclude on the 31st of January 2023. Click here to find out more about the opportunity to contribute to the consultation.
What matters to you? The answer to that question may not always be the things that can easily be seen and measured as the quote from Albert Einstein reminds us. When we talk about spirituality it is the language of meaning, purpose, beliefs, values and connection that is so often used to describe this inner experience, those things that may not be seen on the surface.
A newly released report from Lived Experience Australia (LEA) highlights this point. The report Understanding Loneliness and Mental Health was produced in collaboration with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) Community Collaboration Committee (CCC), and sought to better understand loneliness and its effects, particularly in relation to mental health, physical health, families, and wellbeing. Consumer respondents mentioned how spirituality helped them with loneliness; for example:
- Faith gives me assurance of God’s purpose in every aspect of my life
- I try to fill the absence of other people with the presence of God
- Nourish the things that give me a sense of meaning. For me that’s the spiritual path I practice
In their summary the authors stated, “Loneliness is alleviated by striving to build self-care and self-worth, and by nurturing a sense of meaning and purpose. Routinely connecting with other ‘humans’, nature, and pets was emphasised.” Meaning, purpose, connection. These are things that matter and we need to make sure that they are made to count, even if they cannot easily
Cheryl Holmes, CEO