39 THREE Common mental health problems and work Annie Irvine Introduction Recent years have seen significant policy attention focused on mental health and employment. The latter part of 2009 saw the publication of several key documents, including the first national strategy on mental health and employment (Health, Work and Wellbeing Directorate, 2009), an overarching framework for mental health service provision (HM Government, 2009a), a review of support for people not in employment due to mental health conditions (DWP, 2009), a strategy on employment
115 Marjorie’s story: older people with mental health problems EIGHT Marjorie’s story: older people with mental health problems If policy debates have traditionally focused on the health and social care divide with regard to institutional care and, more recently, with regard to community services, one group frequently excluded from analysis has been older people with mental health problems. This is to be deeply regretted, not only because the significance of this group of people is growing as a result of demographic changes, but also because they present
7 1 Demography, topography and mental health problems in later life Introduction By way of situating the book’s broader discourse on mental health in later life, Chapter 1 offers an overview of the UK’s socio-demographic and policy context. It also offers key data on the prevalence and nature of primary mental health problems associated with later life and discussion of those issues that are situated on its boundary, such as loneliness and social exclusion. First, a word about terminology. The term ‘later life’ will be used throughout the book in
207 ELEVEN Working for longer: self-management of chronic health problems in the workplace Fehmidah Munir Introduction This chapter considers how employees with health problems can maintain their own health, wellbeing and productivity across over their working life. Chronic health problems are an increasing problem within an ageing workforce. The majority of these health issues are defined as a ‘condition that is long-term, cannot be currently cured but can be controlled with the use of medication and/or other therapies’ (DH, 2010, p 4). Such conditions
’ve [claimants] been engaged with medical services and psychiatrists and doctors and specialists and surgeons and all that for years, and they’re still not well. But I’m a work coach, […] what difference am I going to make just because they’ve been kicked off ESA and been made to claim UC? (Work Coach, FG3, P7) Challenging the veracity of mental health problems is an unrecognised basic design element of UC. Prior to UC, people with mental health problems could receive financial support in the form of Employment and Support Allowance 2 (ESA) either free from pressure to
95 page 95 SEVEN “Direct what?” Exploring the suitability of direct payments for people with mental health problems Julie Ridley This chapter considers direct payments made to people with mental health problems. It examines this in the context of findings from a study commissioned by the Scottish Executive involving the author (Ridley and Jones, 2002), which explored the feasibility of direct payments to people labelled as ‘mental health service users’ (including those with dementia). The research investigated the implementation of direct payments across Scotland
207 FOURTEEN Changing minds: opening up employment options for people with mental health problems Jenny Secker and Bob Grove Introduction Historically, if people with enduring mental health problems have been seen as capable of work at all, this has been framed as ‘therapy’ to be undertaken in sheltered, socially excluded settings. Real work in real workplaces has been seen as something to be put off until recovery, in the clinical sense of the disappearance or control of ‘symptoms’, is complete, in effect indefinitely for many people. This chapter starts by
59 FIVE Young people with mental health problems Sarah Judd introduction The transition from childhood to adulthood is an uncertain time for all young people, but many also experience mental health difficulties. It is estimated that up to 20% of 16- to 24-year-olds have a mental health issue at any one time (Singleton and Lewis, 2003). The majority of these will be young people experiencing anxiety or depression, although other mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, are known to emerge in late adolescence (Ryan, 2006). Young adults face a number
155 Buffers and predictors of mental health problems NINE Buffers and predictors of mental health problems among unemployed young women in countries with different breadwinner models Ilse Julkunen and Ira Malmberg-Heimonen Introduction There is a vast body of knowledge regarding the interrelation between mental health and unemployment, which predominantly shows that mental health problems increase during states of unemployment. A high level of work commitment and frequent states of jobseeking increase the risk for mental health problems among the unemployed
313 Families, Relationships and Societies • vol 5 • no 2 • 313–31 • © Policy Press 2016 • #FRS Print ISSN 2046 7435 • Online ISSN 2046 7443 • http://dx.doi.org/10.1332/204674315X14365326675064 Familialistic countries need a family-inclusive service when caring for people with mental health problems – the case of Malta Angela Abela, angela.abela@um.edu.mt Ruth Farrugia, ruth.farrugia@um.edu.mt University of Malta, Msida, Malta Anna Maria Vella, anna-maria.vella@um.edu.mt Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta Katya DeGiovanni, katya
