Q: What are your goals for Equally Well? What inspires you about Equally Well?
A: I am inspired by Equally Well’s goal, “Quality of Life – Equality of Life”. As a LGBTQIA+ Indian Australian with a lived experience of complex mental health concerns and related physical health concerns; I am inspired by organisations that take a holistic view in supporting and advocating for us.
Q: How do you see Equally Well benefiting carers/consumers/practitioners?
A: Promoting equitable access to health services including but not limited to i.e. dental, cardiology etc and advocating for all health services to be person centred, trauma informed and culturally sensitive.
Q: What hurdles do you currently see Equally Well facing and will have to face in the future? Is there a particular area you believe needs more focus that Equally Well can develop on?
A: Mental health and physical health is something that occurs across the age span. There is very limited attention to the aging population and sometimes the focus can be disproportionately on their health and little focus on loneliness and mental health issues that they may be experiencing. Extending this further, with a thriving multicultural community our health services often discount caring systems amongst families of different cultural backgrounds.
Q: What have you personally learnt and has this knowledge impacted your life and/or the lives of those around you?
A: I have learnt that everyone in the systems of care are trying to do the right thing, however, the systems themselves are under resourced and/or inadequately designed to cater for Australia’s growing and evolving population. It has meant that advocacy is increasingly becoming the need of the hour for people accessing both the mental health and the broader healthcare system.
Q: As an Equally Well Ambassador, you are an advocate for improving the physical health of those who live with a mental illness, have there been any new developments or research in your area of interest?
A: My parents, aunty and I are caring for my elderly grandmother who has got advanced stage Parkinson’s and associated mental health experiences. The aged care system and the healthcare system is inadequately designed to support multicultural families who want to provide end of life and palliative care at home. When hospital visits occur, the health system often assumes that she doesn’t need extra support because she is “still living at home…”, but they fail to understand that whilst she is at home we are all going above and beyond to ensure she is comfortable.
Q: What do you see is your role for Equally Well as one of our ambassadors?
A: To continue to advocate, raise awareness to the community on the issues faced by people like me who are trying to navigate the health and mental health system to ensure we receive holistic care.
