Families are central to the recovery of people living with mental health distress. Although their support role has increasingly been acknowledged, families own recovery needs often remain unrecognised. As a result, families can struggle to balance the recovery-oriented support role with their own recovery needs.

Drawing on several co-produced qualitative studies the Relational Recovery Zones Framework was developed. In this framework, family responses are described as dynamic, ever changing, and responding to what is happening in the life of the person supported. The identified zones include: Noticing something is wrong; The Chaos of Extreme Times; The Way Out of the Crisis; and, The Re-assessment, Reframing and Re-engaging With the New Normal.

The balance between the recovery-oriented support role and managing own recovery needs changes depending on the response zones. As a result, the support and recovery needs also change. The framework is currently being adapted and verified in different mental health settings.

This presentation will outline a relational approach to recovery, the framework and preliminary findings of the validation process, including the support needs of families who are supporting a loved one experiencing mental health distress.

Recent health emergencies, climate and economic crises, adversely impacted families who support people with mental health challenges; experiencing increased levels and complexities of care provision in response to significant reduction of services. A unique codesigned study, with a strong community and university partnership, occurred through reflective conversations between 73 participants within seven online focus groups. Research findings highlighted the common experiences for family carers, from diverse backgrounds and geographical locations.
Co-produced research with families elevated family voices, and supported carers to express their experiences, needs and rights. Learnings included deliberate decisions around processes and methodologies undertaken, and how they matched a lived expertise paradigm that can be extended to other projects.
The aim of this presentation is to look behind the processes within this study, to consider how these promote the common ground of achieving authentic and safe practices within diverse research contexts. The role of health professionals and researchers, who hold power, is to democratise processes and practices to increase equity within both health research and practice. This paper is an exemplar for processes that elevate and engage diverse groups at the centre of a health problem or issue to enable participation in knowledge production, change determination, and dissemination.

This presentation explores the efficacy of individually tailored health and wellbeing supports in achieving fulfilling, meaningful and connected relationships and activities for individuals residing in Residential Aged Care Facilities. We will explore how a service, co-designed with families and individuals who live in residential aged care, is enhancing the lives of residents transitioning into and living in Residential Aged care facilities.

There are several key stressors which impact on health and wellbeing, such as moving into a new home, loss of loved ones, managing changes in health or abilities and one’s purpose in life. In moving into a Residential Aged Care Facility, not only are individuals faced with the stressors of moving, but the awareness that this is a new stage of life, one where it is known that there will be experiences of loss. Being able to maintain independence, a sense of purpose and connection is paramount to health and wellbeing.

The Mental Health in Aged Care (MHiAC) service supports individuals to identify their strengths, build confidence and purpose in their lives and give back to their community. In so doing, individuals are building strength and resilience in themselves in their communities and in their families.

Older people experience mental health challenges unique to their stage of life. Grief and loss, income stress, and declining physical health all contribute to high rates of anxiety and depression among older people (10-15%) and even higher for those living in aged care who may also grapple with a perceived loss of independence1 (39%2).

Evidence shows that good mental health supports healthy ageing and was an Aged Care Royal Commission priority. However, there is no dedicated funding for specialised mental health support for older people. We will discuss our learnings from an innovative model with demonstrated success (backed by 3 independent evaluations) in multiple settings.
Continuing To Be Me’s (C2bMe) team of counsellors, mental health nurses and allied health practitioners engage aged care residents with individual and group therapy. C2bMe @ Home provides similar support to older people living at home or in retirement villages.
Both programs use a strengths-based, person-centred approach informed by the CHIME model for working with older people; Connectedness, Hope/optimism, Identity, Meaning/purpose, and Empowerment7.
Importantly, both programs build capacity in aged care workers and community services in identifying potential mental health concerns, and then navigate support for older people in aged care settings or within the wider community, who may be experiencing these challenges.
C2bMe caters specifically to the unique needs and challenges of older. C2BMe’s combined individual and group therapy, as well as capacity building component is holistic and meets people on their level.
C2BMe is successful and applicable for policy makers and healthcare leaders across the care spectrum.

There are 84,865 current serving members and 496,276 former serving members of the armed forces in Australia. The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was established in July 2021 as an inquiry into the overrepresentation of serving and ex-serving Defence members in deaths by suicide in Australia. The inquiry is engaged in hearings, submissions, private sessions and roundtables to inform the Commissioners about the systemic, cultural and structural issues that can contribute to suicide by serving and ex-serving Defence members. The Interim Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide 2022 clearly highlights the limited data being collected nationally on the rates of veteran suicide and suicide behaviour. Veteran involvement in traumatic events, which can occur in both combat and non-combat environments can have long-lasting negative effects. Health and community services including state and federal based services, government and community managed, need to ask individuals who access services whether they are a current or former member of the Australian Defence Force, or a family member of a veteran. Australia is losing too many people to suicide. Accurate information and data, and interventions that are appropriate, accessible, sensitive and affordable are urgently needed to better understand the needs of veterans.