Ahead of World Menopause Day (18 October), during Menopause Awareness Month, nurse-led support service RedArc is encouraging organisations to ensure their menopause support is built around three key principles: validation, education and choice.
Validation is an important first step
Christine Husbands, commercial consultant at RedArc, said:
“For many women, having their symptoms acknowledged and taken seriously is an important part of the menopause journey. Every woman’s experience is different, and symptoms can affect both their personal and working lives in very different ways. Recognising and validating those individual experiences should therefore be the starting point for good menopause support.”
Technology
RedArc also explains that technology has an important role to play in menopause support, particularly for symptom tracking, practical tools and accessing information quickly and conveniently. However, it should complement, rather than replace, support from a clinical professional. Through its work supporting women, RedArc sees first-hand the value of being able to talk through individual experiences with someone who can offer clinical guidance, and who can help put a woman’s individual symptoms and experiences into context, so they can better understand the options available and what the next steps might be.
Christine Husbands continued:
“Technology can inform and guide, but it cannot provide the personalised, clinical guidance and reassurance that many women need and want.”
Education does not simply mean more information
RedArc also recognises that the sheer volume of menopause advice and guidance now available can itself be overwhelming. Education should not simply mean providing more information, but helping women identify reliable, evidence-based sources, understand their symptoms and determine what support is most appropriate for their own circumstances. The aim should be to cut through the noise, and give women the knowledge and confidence to understand their options and make informed decisions. It’s a good idea to also extend education to colleagues.
Ensure choice
It is important that women understand the full range of support and treatment options available, from HRT to practical lifestyle advice, and emotional support to specialist therapies and clinical guidance.
Exercise, a balanced diet, good sleep habits and stress management can also play an important role in managing symptoms and supporting overall wellbeing. Providing genuine choice means helping women understand these different options, rather than assuming there is a single approach that will be right for everyone.
Christine Husbands concluded:
“If menopause support is built around the three principles of validation, education and choice, women will be empowered to navigate this stage of life with confidence and make decisions that are right for them.”
“We know that clinical guidance is the thread that pulls these three strands together. It can help women make sense of their symptoms, understand the information and options available to them, and decide what is most appropriate for their individual circumstances.”
