High River District Health Care Foundation’s Post

#DidYouKnow... 🌾 40% of producers across Canada reported that they would feel uneasy about seeking professional help due to what people may think.* 🌾 Farmers are 4 times more likely to use firearms to die by suicide than the general population.*  🌾 58% percent of producers met the criteria for Anxiety classification**  🌾 75% of farmers have mid to high stress levels. Together with the Nanton Quality of Life Foundation is Head to Heart - Rural Mental Wellness on Saturday March 23, 2024 in Nanton. We will come together to break bread, connect and chat about supporting each other. Booths will also be set up for additional information. No stigma, so shame, just community. Plus we have some laughter is the best medicine options with Chris Koch and Jody Seeley. #howsyourfive #nanton #highriver #ruralmentalhealth #hrhealthcarefoundation #nantonqualityoflifefoundation (*Results from the National Survey of Farmer Mental Health, conducted by Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton at the University of Guelph *Source: Healthy Farms Exploring the Connection between Mental Health and Farm Business Management Medicine, 57(9), Booth et al., 2000.)

GRANTS AVAILABLE: Our In A Good Place (IAGP) program now has more funding available to support the mental health and wellbeing of remote, rural and regional communities. Following the recent National Farmer Wellbeing Report (https://ow.ly/Rtrq50RcPHq), which was presented at a recent mental health and wellbeing forum, hosted by National Farmers' Federation, the IAGP program has added a new funding stream, focussed on farmers and farming communities. Thanks to the generous support of CCI Giving and new IAGP partners - Macdoch Foundation, Jibb Foundation, Morris Family Foundation, Norman Family Foundation and Rebecca Gorman & John Sevior, grants are available via two streams: 1. Community wellbeing - focussing on mental health and wellbeing within remote, rural and regional communities; 2. Farmers and farming communities - supporting mental health and wellbeing of farmers and the communities they live in. If your organisation has an initiative that actively works to prevent or respond to mental health issues in your community, we have up to $20,000 grants available to support you in your mission. Find out more about eligibility and how to register your interest below⬇️ #MentalHealth #MentalHealthGrants #IAGP #InAGoodPlace #Philanthropy #CommunityGrants

Rural Mental Health Matters Think about the lived experience of those who live and work in rural settings; - a young person looking for something interesting/fun to do but needing to get a bus to the nearest town which takes hours, with a return unlikely after 1900 - a recently bereaved person facing up to life and dealing with grief on their own with limited internet to access online support - isolating experiences with generational family members unaware or unprepared to cope with feelings of low mood, anxiety or more deleterious mental illness - the limiting and damaging impact of precarious or scarce housing and work prospects These were just a few examples raised at a Centre for Mental Health roundtable I attended yesterday. It was also insightful to hear of the lived experience of Zoe Legg as a farmer dealing with many challenges of life and mental health. We discussed the structural opportunities presenting for those with mental health which policy makers across government should be considering - "rural-proofing" is a concept I hadn't looked into before, but jumps out as requiring a deeper understanding across the board, especially in NHS and Local Authority services. The theme of isolation emerged time after time during the conversation and in rural settings this can be felt physically, emotionally and socially. It was also positive to hear of the work of NFU (National Farmers' Union) BBC Children in Need RABI GRCC and the partners for this work with CMH - Rural Mental Health Matters Limited. Would be keen to connect this work up with others, and am grateful to be involved in the conversation! #isolation #nature #mentalhealth #emotionalwellbeing #ruralhealth #policy #nhs #services #farming #village #markettowns #countryside #men #business

Farming is stressful. In fact, it's one of the most stressful jobs according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and an estimated 225 million farmers worldwide struggle with their mental health. A new initiative is here to help support farmers, growers, and ranchers in BC with their mental health and wellbeing: the AgLife Network. AgLife is a suicide prevention and mental health awareness initiative, in partnership between AgSafe and CMHA BC, with generous support by the IAF, BC Government, and Government of Canada. It creates a community of Connectors to identify when someone might be struggling and help them access local supports. Learn more about how the AgLife Network is supporting BC farmers and agricultural workers: AgLife.ca Read the release: https://buff.ly/3WhG9jL #MentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters #BCAgriculture

Reflecting on my recent Health Support Team work: Just wrapped up a short trip to Hawai'i where I had the privilege of conducting a Health Support Team (HST) Train-the-Trainer workshop for local clinicians working with survivors of the Lahaina Fires. Training local clinicians allows the needed disaster behavioral health information to be transformed into culturally appropriate support for the affected community members and families. Living through a local wildfire, whether or not personal losses occurred, can impact your mental health. Known for their speed and unpredictability, wildfires can often disrupt entire communities for long periods of time, leaving survivors to struggle with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, lasting for years. Children’s reactions to these wildfires and their aftermath are significantly shaped by how parents, teachers, and caregivers handle the events, and the support that can be provided to them. That’s why it’s essential to provide effective psychosocial support to survivors of wildfires to aid community recovery. Mahalo to all of the new Health Support Team (HST) trainers, on the ground in Hawai'i, the Hawai'i Center for Children and Families, specifically Jana Ortiz and Dr. Leihua Edstrom for their unwavering support of this training, and everyone involved in making this initiative a success. https://lnkd.in/gijvmNSS #CommunitySupport #Hawaii #LahainaFires #MentalHealth #Resilience #wildfires

Do give this a listen, Linkers! 📻 🤗 It's not so much Escape To The Country..... More like Escape From The Country! If you need support for your mental health, physical health or even basic essential services! Huge challenges & barriers for people who live in rural communities! Limited to no public transport 🚍🚉 Increased fuel costs as further to travel ⛽️ What happens when you either can't drive, don't have access to, or can't afford a car? 🚗 People living rurally face huge challenges & barriers. This increases a feeling of isolation and desperation. People living rurally feel unseen, unheard, unsupported and unimportant. Almost all support services are based in larger towns and cities, expecting those living rurally to somehow magically get to them! These inequalities cost lives! We need, proactive, early intervention, outreach in rural communities. All you national organisations, listen up....you have your head offices in larger towns and cities, yet you do nothing to support those who find it impossible to get to you! It's time to prioritise being rurally inclusive! #SuicidePrevention is on all of us, including you! UK rural population average = around 20% South West England rural population average = around 40% Dorset rural population = 46%. Yet virtually all the support services are in the southern larger towns. For example Bournemouth, which is a 70 mile round trip or multiple buses & up to 4 hours each way, from the rural north of the county. Is this equitable? Is this fair? Is this wilful apathy & rural exclusion? Because all these services know full well that the rural population is 46%! If you provide a countywide, regional or national support service, but aren't proactively engaging with & including the 1 in 5 of the population in the UK who live in rural communities, then can you please kindly read this and start making some changes ASAP. It will save lives! #SuicideAwareness ~ isolation is a massive risk factor in suicide. Thank you to Steve Phillip Danielle Phillip Paul Vittles at YOWAH Radio - Your wellbeing and happiness radio station for interviewing me! I'll be joining The Jordan Legacy CIC on 12th June for their #JoinTheDots tour, as a speaker at the conference on 12th June! To book me as your motivational lived experience speaker, contact Speakers Collective or DM me for more info! See OP here from Steve. 👇

Wildfires linked to surge in mental health-related emergency department visits . An Emory University study published Feb. 15 in Nature Mental Health shows wildfires lead to an increase of anxiety-related emergency department visits in the western United States, amplifying the concerning parallel trajectory of two escalating public health crises -- mental health and climate change. #ScienceDailynews #InnovativeResearch #NextGenScience #ExploringFrontiers

Just over a year ago, on August 8, 2023, the deadliest wildfire in modern US history leveled the historic town of Lahaina on the island of Maui. After the event, the lingering effects of surviving a natural disaster still haunt many Hawaiians. The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study, a longitudinal study conducted by epigenetic researchers at the University of Hawai‘i System, found that over half the survivors show signs of depression compared to just a third before the tragedy. Rates of anxiety and other mental health issues also spiked and have remained high. According to the study, one factor that can make a difference in how people rebound is through social connections. For more than a decade, the Maui Mountain Bike Coalition (MMBC) has been an active, community-centered IMBA Local Member Organization. The MMBC turned its efforts to hosting trail days, group rides, and events so people could get out and clear their minds and so that the healing nature of physical activity and social connections could be uplifted in the community’s recovery. Read more about these efforts and how you can support the MMBC as they continue to help their community: https://lnkd.in/gM2tw6sg

Health and Safety Week, Mental Health Week and Emergency Preparedness Week take place during the first week of May and serve as great reminders to build personal resilience. Taking care of your mental health will help you navigate unexpected situations more easily when they occur. Tips for building personal resilience: 😀Practice coping and wellness actions to improve your ability to think clearly, make informed decisions and know when to ask for help. 🤝Build stronger connections with those around you. Support systems are essential to individuals wellbeing. 💻Visit https://bit.ly/3THxG8a to find out what information, resources and supports are available near you. #FCSS #FCSSAA #MentalHealthWeek #CompassionConnects #fcssStrongerTogether

Mental health. It's a sensitive topic and one that is so critical to our wellbeing, especially to those in the bush who may also be facing the cumulative impacts of renewable energy development... Last week, I was lucky enough to do the Mental Health First Aid Australia course with Mike Cole of Essential Energy. Did you know that: 📢 1 in 5 Australians have experienced a mental disorder 📢 1 in 7 children and adolescents have experienced a mental illness 📢 Farmers are more likely to have depression and anxiety than other people 📢 More than 1 in every 2 farmers thinks that mental health is a problem or concern in their local community. This can be due to the pressures of farming, together with withstanding challenges like bush fires, floods and droughts We all have the opportunity to play a vital role in reducing stigma and promoting pathways to support for those experiencing mental health problems in our workplaces, communities and families. ▶ Sign up for a Mental Health First Aiders course here: https://lnkd.in/gfkxPgbU #mentalhealth #standtall #ruokay