TEAMhealth provides support to just be ‘me’

Mental Illness affects one in five Australians, with 70% of people not seeking help when they need it.

Jill Penny, TeamHEALTH Respite Participant said that she has experienced some terrific support from TeamHEALTH, that she has been uplifted at times when she was down and in desperate need.

“My best advice would be if you have a referral USE it, don’t be afraid to ask for help,” Ms Penny said.

Jill Penny was referred to TeamHEALTH through her daughter’s psychiatrist.

The Respite Program provides options for people caring for a person with a mental illness.

“The female Team Leader and a colleague came to our house to discuss our situation and gave us information about TeamHEALTH services,” she said.

“Her last words to me that day were ‘you will never be alone again’.”

“I had felt isolated and suffered from depression myself because of the loneliness and isolation I had been feeling, but her words were right.”

“All in all, I have certainly not felt alone; I have new friends to talk to and I know that one of the Respite Team staff will always have my back, I can ring for a chat anytime I am about to go under,” she said.

“From lunches and dinners to going down to the track for a “breakaway” from having to "care", the service has given me a chance to just be me and make new friends in the process”, she said.

“My daughters have always been included too and the TeamHEALTH Respite Team has become part of our family, so reach out, they could be your family too,” she said.

TeamHEALTH’s Respite Program has also supported Jill with additional assistance as she has needed it.

“There have been other contributions too, TeamHEALTH helped me with the cost of an airfare to Brisbane when I had to take my eldest to a psychiatric hospital down there.”

 “They also helped me at home, providing a cleaner when life suddenly got too hard and vouchers to make life a bit lighter,” she said.

The program provides education, support, respite and outings for Carers and Care Recipients.

 “I meet the Team leader for coffee when I need to talk and TeamHEALTH provide me with referrals to other places that may also be able to help us,” Ms Penny said.

“My daughters and I have both used TeamHEALTH’s terrific Respite service,” she said.

The service provides a range of weekly activities that have been available to both Jill and her daughter, including op shopping, tenpin bowling and movie days.

TeamHEALTH’s Respite program provides ongoing, sustainable and flexible respite options, including in home respite day activities, overnight breakaway trips and Planned Respite Options.

To be eligible for respite individuals must be a carer and/or have a carer. You do not have to be receiving the carer’s pension to be eligible.

TeamHEALTH provides early intervention, education and mental health services to the Darwin region and the rural and remote communities of the Top End.

TeamHEALTH’s programs are provided within a model of recovery focussed psychosocial rehabilitation and within the framework of the National Mental Health Plan and Standard.

TeamHEALTH works closely with other local specialist service providers such as Top End Mental Health Services (TEMHS), drug/alcohol services and other non-government organisations.