Caring for loved ones with mental illness puts caregivers at risk themselves – now two new digital mental health programs have been developed to support them.
The role of caregiving can come at a high personal cost. Research shows that it can lead to depression, anxiety and a decrease in wellbeing with carers reporting significant negative outcomes including time out of the workforce and poorer physical and mental health.
In our first episode of 2023 we take a look at the ‘hidden workforce’ of the Australian mental healthcare system – the family, friends and caregivers of people living with mental illness. We look at the role of digital mental health in supporting the wellbeing of informal caregivers, preventing their own mental ill health to reduce the risk of their vital caring tole from being compromised.
Our guest today is Dr Sally Fitzpatrick. Dr Fitzpatrick is a Program Manager at Everymind, a leading Centre delivering successful mental health and suicide prevention programs for over 30 years. Dr Fitzpatrick and her team have developed two new digital programs called Minds Together: one designed specifically for friends and family supporting someone who has attempted suicide and the other for family and friends supporting the mental health of paramedics.
In this episode, Dr Fitzpatrick talks to Dr Tania McMahon about the high risk of poor mental health and well-being among informal caregivers, how health professionals can identify those in need of support, and how to connect them to services.
Visit the Everymind website at: https://everymind.org.au/
Learn more about the Minds Together programs at: https://mindstogether.org.au/
Caring for loved ones with mental illness puts caregivers at risk themselves – now two new digital mental health programs have been developed to support them.
The role of caregiving can come at a high personal cost. Research shows that it can lead to depression, anxiety and a decrease in wellbeing with carers reporting significant negative outcomes including time out of the workforce and poorer physical and mental health.
In our first episode of 2023 we take a look at the ‘hidden workforce’ of the Australian mental healthcare system – the family, friends and caregivers of people living with mental illness. We look at the role of digital mental health in supporting the wellbeing of informal caregivers, preventing their own mental ill health to reduce the risk of their vital caring tole from being compromised.
Our guest today is Dr Sally Fitzpatrick. Dr Fitzpatrick is a Program Manager at Everymind, a leading Centre delivering successful mental health and suicide prevention programs for over 30 years. Dr Fitzpatrick and her team have developed two new digital programs called Minds Together: one designed specifically for friends and family supporting someone who has attempted suicide and the other for family and friends supporting the mental health of paramedics.
In this episode, Dr Fitzpatrick talks to Dr Tania McMahon about the high risk of poor mental health and well-being among informal caregivers, how health professionals can identify those in need of support, and how to connect them to services.
Visit the Everymind website at: https://everymind.org.au/
Learn more about the Minds Together programs at: https://mindstogether.org.au/