This ANZAC day the nation will pause to remember those who have fallen. For those who have served and are currently serving the transition from military service to civilian life can be challenging, particularly those in regional and rural areas.
La Trobe University expert Dr Kylie Carra, Senior Lecturer In Occupational Therapy calls for more funding for support services military personnel need.
“Almost half a million Australians have served with the Australian Defence Force. Yet, at least anecdotally, former service members describe immense difficulty accessing the rehabilitation services they need.
“We surveyed 123 occupational therapists to hear their experiences of providing services for returned service members. Therapists in the study consistently described inadequate funding, complex administrative processes, and limited support to upskill in this specialised area of practice.
“This is alarming given that former service members are twice as likely than the general population to have health conditions such as depression, anxiety, cancer, heart disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and stroke.
“It means that former service members are not consistently able to participate in evidence-based therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and vocational rehabilitation.
“Provision of services was even more complicated in rural areas, with therapists describing not being adequately compensated for travel and administrative costs.
“More funding is urgently needed to support the rollout of recommendations from the Joint Transition Taskforce and Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.”
