Disclaimer: This episode contains mentions of suicide and suicidal ideation. Listener discretion is advised.

In this episode, our podcast crew member Juliette and Natalie, a mental health social worker, discuss the various obstacles that social workers face working within a hospital mental health setting. Natalie speaks about her critical and creative practices in a range of settings and most recently working with elderly people living with mental health vulnerabilities. She also outlines some of the ways in which neoliberal social structures inform many aspects of the current approach to working within the intersection of mental health and aged care. She highlights the limiting aspects of such an approach and sheds light on the ways in which she individually infuses a critical approach into her practice as a way to manoeuvre through some of the barriers in the system. Natalie shares her experiences and critically reflects on some of the mistakes she’s made along the way in her journey.

Transcript

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WUmBCbBv38A5-pnW8jUhwEXUe6Dtn5cS/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104391506849562986537&rtpof=true&sd=true

Sources:

Neolibral Defintion: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/neoliberalism/

Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Long stay Patients Definition (QLD government): https://www.darlingdowns.health.qld.gov.au/patients-and-visitors/health-costs-insurance-and-financial-support/long-stay-patients

NDIS: https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/supports-funded-ndis

Home Care Packages: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/help-at-home/home-care-packages

WHO: Ageism: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/ageing-ageism

Keywords: community mental health, social justice agency, hospital social work, healthcare system, mental health sector, oppressive systems, ageism, critical lens, social justice, privilege, elderly, agency, challenging, egalitarian, mental health act, creative resistence, critical reflection, neoliberalism, capitalism.

Music by Boe Towah

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