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Volume 13, Thursday 5th October, 2006
Invisible illness
Mental health will be bought to attention by World Mental Health Day on October 10 and has also raised the question of access to services for our local and regional patients. Mental Health is a global issue and the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates there are over 1,000,000 suicide deaths due to mental health issues worldwide each year. In Australia both our State and Federal Governments have been struggling to alleviate the problem in any way. Locally, Family and Youth Officer, Tom Beever deals with the heartbreaking consequences of living with mental illnesses all too often. Mr Beever said mental illness could be especially difficult for people to understand as there were often no visible signs of sickness. “If an illness or disability is visible it’s easier for people to sympathise, but it’s harder to understand something we cannot see, which can be an added burden to those suffering and adds to their loneliness and sense of isolation,” he said. Mr Beever also said that even though Roxby Downs is a young, growing community there are individuals with mental illness living here. “There are people in our community who walk through every day with a mental illness. It may not be obvious to those around them, but it is very real.” Ray Goldie, Community Development consultant has been hearing about local mental health issues since 2001. “Access to services for mental health patients has been an issue in Roxby Downs for a long time,” Mr Goldie said. While I am told it has improved in recent years most professionals or carers will tell you its is still lacking.” “All of the professional agencies and individuals currently responsible for providing services are doing everything possible to support people who need treatment but there simply are not enough resources” he said. “I am sure all of the personnel involved in planning the upgrade of health services for our proposed expanded population are lobbying hard for the greatest share of services and facilities they can squeeze from the various levels of Government. “Past results however, tell me we should be worried,” Mr Goldie said. “Already this community has been left to provide a number of services normally handled by State Government, such as the counselling work carried out by Mr Beever. And at times the management of family crisis incidences fall to our local police officers.” “We are continually told by Mr Rann how mining and particularly Olympic Dam is, and will continue to, contribute to the States economy. So when does the community get its share?” “Nor do I hold with the argument that everybody is in the same situation. Try and explain to a family who has a teenager or other family member in high need of professional care that the counsellor won’t be back for a month.”
Walk, cycle or drive Get fit … help the environment… it’s a “Last week we had nine mothers with their “win win” situation for those participating in prams for our walk and it was really great.” “Some of them had infants in their prams National Walk to Work Day this Friday. and a couple of them also had a toddler as well. Youth Worker, Siona Glasson, said she We also had one grandparent come out for the would be walking the one kilometre from walk,” she said. her house to work which she said would take Mrs Smith said the group had been started for two reasons – first, to get mothers who approximately 10 minutes. “I’ll be walking to work on Friday to focus were new to town involved in the commy commitment on helping the environment munity and meeting other people in similar by walking instead of driving,” she said. circumstances. Roxby Downs is a very small, highly cenSecondly, she said, the walking program tralised town with nearly all the shops and promoted healthy living through exercise. facilities in the middle of town. “The walking group has just gone from According to Council Works Manager, Dave strength to strength and I’ve been really happy Watson, the most anyone had to walk in town, with the response I’ve received,” she said. in a single trip, was 1.5 kilometres. Additional benefits of the program are As one of her first projects, Community increased self-esteem, decreasing depression health nurse, Gaye Smith, started a walking and anxiety, weight loss and increased muscle group for mothers who were new to town. tone. Regular exercise also helped to prevent The group has been walking for four weeks now and numbers have been rising every osteoporosis, diabetes and lowered high blood week. pressure.
Chairperson of Roxby Road Safe, Tom Beever, said people in town often used a lot of excuses to justify why they need to drive instead of walking. “I think Roxby Downs is an ideal place and community for people to use their legs as much as possible,” he said. “It’s not always ideal to leave the keys on the table and walk down to the shops or to see friends but the town is set out to allow people to walk everywhere.” Mr Beever urged people to break the habit of using their cars. “Most people know they should be walking more and it doesn’t take a lot to help – walking even once a week is good for your body,” he said. “And if people do start walking more they will realise how good it is for themselves and their families because it is a fantastic family activity as well.” “Hopefully this will encourage people to use their cars less.”
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