Expatriate Health Care and Overseas Welfare

Summary: If you're considering a move overseas or you've already expatriated, you're going to have to think about your ongoing physical welfare and health care needs.

If you’re considering a move overseas or you’ve already expatriated, you’re going to have to think about your ongoing physical welfare and health care needs.

Costs and health care services abroad can differ significantly to what you’ve been used to before, therefore if you relocate - and particularly if you relocate with your family - one of your first priorities should be establishing health insurance and getting to grips with your ongoing physical welfare.

Making sure you have the important insurances in place - like health insurance - will afford you greater peace of mind coupled with greater security as a family.  Personal peace of mind will enable you to get on with enjoying your time abroad.

As ill health can smite any one of us at any age wherever we are in the world and what ever stage of life we’re at, we should consider our physical wellbeing throughout our lives - and it’s important to consider our physical well being from the angles of prevention and cure.

Prevention

When we actively take steps to encourage good health we are far more likely to enjoy a happy healthy longevity and to get the most out of life at all times.

The key to this is to keep active.

Many of us have sedentary lives; we drive to work, sit in an office, drive home and then sit down to watch the telly - even if we move overseas a lot of us maintain this pattern throughout life as it is dictated by the very nature of our work.  But keeping active should really be seen as a mandatory part of our lives - whatever we do for a job, wherever in the world we choose to live.

While busy lives may make it difficult to find time for set exercise regimes, there are always things we can do to improve our overall fitness. 

If you’ve moved to a new country, or you’re about to take up residence overseas, chances are there will be plenty for you to explore.  So, do so on foot or on a bicycle! 

If the terrain or weather is not so conducive to such physical activity and all you want to do is flop on the beach or chill out in a deck chair when you get some free time, consider parking your car two streets away from your house and walking the last 1/2 mile home on a daily basis, or even parking 2 blocks from the beach and strolling along to your favourite sandy spot.

Alternatively, get a dog and take him for regular walks (he’ll love you for it!).  You don’t like pets?  Then hire a bike, go on a walking weekend or weed the garden. 

Simply by adding a little physical activity into our lives, we will be pushing back the years and ensuring that we are able to fully enjoy the opportunities our new life abroad affords us.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Enjoy nutritious food, adequate sleep, avoid nicotine and keep alcohol consumption within sensible limits. 

Reduce stress. Everyone suffers from stress sometimes, and relocating abroad can in fact be one of the most stressful things you’ll ever do!  But such short term stress can be reduced with effective planning and familial support and it is actually long term stress that poses the most significant health risks. 

So, once you’ve relocated do everything within your power to reduce your daily stress levels.  And if it is beyond your control to remove certain stresses affecting your life, never feel embarrassed or afraid to seek help.  If you can identify the primary reason for your stress maybe you can begin to see what you need to do to fix it.  I know this is so often easier said than done - but please remember it is your health and your happiness at stake here and that has to be your priority.

Be Proactive. You know your own body better than any one else.  Listen to it, and react accordingly when it is trying to tell you something.  Don’t ignore potential symptoms, recognise them and get them treated.

SHARE: del.icio.us   Digg   Facebook   Google   Mixx   NewsVine   StumbleUpon   Technorati   YahooMyWeb