Oklahoma AgrAbility Newsletter
Fall 2004 • Volume 3 • Issue 4
Health and Well Being
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NOTE: Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oklahoma State University, Langston University or the National AgrAbility Project and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
In This Issue
Rural Farm Women and Caregiving
Oklahoma AgrAbility Looking to Start Peer Support Program
Health and Well Being
Oklahoma farming/ranching families are known for their work ethic, independence, and amazing resilience. However, when a farm operator experiences a disabling injury, illness, or has a chronic health condition, even the most resilient family can have difficulty coping with the changes in responsibilities, division of work, and maintaining the financial viability of the farm operation. Studies show this stress falls mainly on the farmer s spouse, who must respond to increased demands for his or her time and care-giving ability, as well as managing the farm. Female farm spouses who are caring for a family member with a disability have reported experiencing physical exhaustion, depression, and emotional breakdown. Obviously, maintaining the health and well-being of the farm and the farm family members is a serious concern.
Also concerning is the lack of access to quality rural mental health care. This is a challenge in many states, including Oklahoma. Even if mental health services were readily available, many farming families might not willingly seek them out, preferring instead to deal with issues within the family.
This issue of the AgrAbility newsletter will focus on how farm family members, involved in assisting someone who has a disabling condition, can work together to build good support, maintain healthy relationships, and provide a listing of professional resources to assist with coping and stress before things get to the breaking point .
Best Wishes,
Rachael Kircher, AgrAbility Project Coordinator
Carla Wilhite, OT/L, AgrAbility Program Specialist
Rural Farm Women and Caregiving
The role expectations for farm women are described as constituting three shifts according to a 1993 study. The first shift for many farm women includes working off the farm in jobs that provide additional income and health benefits to the family. The second shift includes the housework, cooking, child care responsibilities, and even keeping the books. Finally, the third shift involves participating in some of the farm work. Being the primary person involved in the care of a family member with a disability stretches her roles even further.
Moving around his home presented additional challenges. Gene and his wife, Sheryl, also made their home more accessible. Entrances to the home were redesigned with ramping and flat thresholds. The bathroom area was remodeled to include a higher commode, wheelchair accessible sink, a zero-grade walk-in shower spa, and grab bars. The family also added an enclosed double garage that features a ground-level tornado safe room, an office, and allows Gene to store his work truck and family vehicle inside during inclement weather.
According to a report on spousal coping with the disability of a farmer, the most important element in coping with extra stress has to do with attitude. A positive attitude and determination held by the farmer to return to work and living activities as fully as possible helps the spouse to cope with the disability. Farm women have noted other activities that help them to manage stress including talking with their spouse or family about their concerns and being listened to openly. Other activities include returning to valued social activities, receiving positive reinforcement from other wives of disabled farmers, and having a strong spiritual faith. The authors of this report also recommend that farm spouses utilize the resources of their state AgrAbility project to find peer support and access to other useful resources.
Sources:
Reed, D. and Claunch D. (2002). Behind the scenes: Spousal coping following permanently disabling injury of farmers. Issues in Mental Health Nursing (23).
Rosmann, M. (2001). Agricultural behavioral health: In critical need. AgriWellness, Inc
Resources
Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Toll free hotlines for information or referral to mental health, substance abuse, or domestic violence/sexual assault services across the state.
Reachout Hotline:1-800-522-9054
Safeline:1-800-522-7233
Teenline:1-800-522-TEEN (8336)
Oklahoma Alcoholics Anonymous
For meeting information in Oklahoma, please contact the following 24-Hour hot-lines:
Oklahoma City:(405) 524-1100
Tulsa:(918) 627-2224
Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Service: Disability Resource Guide
Information on Disability Support Groups, Personal Assistance and In-Home Services, Assistive Technology, Financial Resources, etc.
Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program
Mediation services for agricultural and rural living issues.
Ag-Link Crisis Line (Farmers Union Foundation)
1-800-248-5465
Stress and Coping
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the situations in your life? Have you ever found yourself feeling overly stressed and unable to cope? If your answers to these questions are yes, you are not alone! According to a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study, farm owners were among the top 12 occupations with a remarkably high occurrence of stress-related illnesses. Stress-related illnesses include coronary heart disease, artery disease, hypertension, ulcers, and nerve disorders.
Stress is a common and important defense mechanism for our body, despite the bad reputation it gets. When we sense a threatening situation, our body reacts by releasing chemicals to make us more alert and ready to take action. However, if left uncontrolled, the body’s response to stress leads to many physical and emotional problems such as high blood pressure, weight gain, insomnia, hair loss, depression, heart disease, ulcers, panic attacks, and a number of other complaints. It is important to be aware of common signs of stress including:
- Moodiness/Irritability
- Depression/Anxiety
- Overly Emotional
- Sleep Problems
- Forgetfulness/Concentration Problems
- Poor Judgement
- Lack of Interest
- Negative Self-talk
- Racing Heart
- Headaches
- Indigestion
- Skin Break Outs
- Shortness of Breath
- Fatigue
- Nausea/Tight Stomach
- Pain
- Tight Muscles
Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious and often life-threatening ailments. One way to conquer overstress is to learn to read your signs of stress. Watch for the symptoms of stress listed above. Once your body begins to tell you that you are under stress, you should take action to successfully cope with the stressful situation. The best defense against symptoms of stress is taking time to use the following coping skills:
Talk to someone about your stress. It helps to share your stress with someone else like a friend, family member, preacher, or counselor. It helps to talk with someone who can see your problems in a different light and offer solutions.
Understand your limits. Realize when a problem or situation is beyond your control and learn to accept it for now. There may be a time in the future when you can change the situation.
Take care of yourself. Get enough rest, eat well, and do things that you find enjoyable.
Make time for fun. Schedule time for both work and play. Play can be just as important to your well being as work because it allows you the time you need to relax. Take a break from your daily schedule to relax and have fun.
Check-off your tasks. Trying to take care of everything at once can be overwhelming. Instead, make a list of the tasks you need to get done and do them one at a time. Be sure to check them off as they are completed!
Try to cooperate with others. If you find that you always have to be right and that other people upset you, try to cooperate with them instead of confronting. You don’t have to be right all of the time!
Avoid self-medication. Often when people get stressed, they cope by using chemicals (such as over the counter medications, alcohol, or other drugs) to feel better. Instead, use techniques such as relaxation and meditation to help relieve your stress.
Take your mind off your stress. You can also read a good book or play peaceful music.
Exercise every day. Even if you only have time for a brisk walk or a few stretching exercises, make sure to take time to do something to exercise your body.
When you first notice the signs of stress occurring in your body, take a few deep breaths and relax. Give yourself time to calm down the naturally occurring stress response in your body. Then practice some of the listed ways to cope with stress. Be sure to practice the ways to cope on a daily basis. This will make you better at coping with stress when your body begins to react.
Sources:
National Institute of Mental Health list of ways to cope with stress.
www.holisticonline.com, “Stress the Silent Killer.”
Fetsch, R.J. “Transitions and Changes: Who Copes Well?” Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet 10.215, 1/02.
Fetsch, R.J. “ Farming, Ranching: Health Hazard or Opportunity?” Colorado State Univesrity, Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet 10.201, 9/98.
Oklahoma AgrAbility Looking to Start Peer Support Program
In September of this year, Shilo Shaw, a doctoral candidate in the clinical psychology program at Oklahoma State University joined the Oklahoma AgrAbility program. Shilo will be investigating the need and potential for developing a peer support program for farmers and their families who have experienced a disability. One of the five proposed goals of the AgrAbility program was to bring together volunteer resources among farmers with disabilities to promote cost-effective methods of accommodating disabilities in farming, farm-related dealings, and other peer support activities. Additionally, it was proposed that the Oklahoma AgrAbility Project would establish a peer network and identify farmers with disabilities who are willing to work as volunteers in the network. The peer support program would be in fulfillment of this Oklahoma AgrAbility Project goal as proposed to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Peer support has been defined as, “a system of giving and receiving help founded in key principles of respect, shared responsibility, and mutual agreement of what is helpful” (Mead, Hilton, & Curtis, 2001). It is about understanding another person’s situation compassionately through shared experiences. Peer support involves meeting other people who you identify with due to similar circumstance. Activities typically include help from volunteers who are not trained ‘professionals’ but instead are individuals who have been in similar situations. Research indicates that participation in peer support activities often lessens feelings of isolation, increases practical knowledge, and helps people to cope with stressful situations. One of the goals of the Oklahoma AgrAbility Peer Support program is to bring together farmers/ranchers with disabilities or disabling conditions and connect them with other farmers/ranchers with newly acquired disabilities.
The proposed program would have two components. First, a peer ingenuity network will be developed where experienced farmers discuss the adaptive devices or methods they have discovered to help them complete farm tasks. Second, the program will support personal interaction between farming families or individuals impacted by disability to increase their coping abilities, health, and adaptive living. In meeting the peer support program goals, we plan to identify farmers/ranchers who are willing to give support to people with newly acquired disabilities and pair them with farmers/ranchers who are interested in receiving support.
Available literature on similar programs is currently being reviewed in order to gain information on program development. Further, Shilo has visited by telephone with other AgrAbility state projects that have existing peer support programs. She will be working throughout the year to create the program proposal and implementation plan. We are currently working on a survey to examine the types of services that farmers/ranchers think would be beneficial in a peer support program. Please watch for your survey in the mail soon!
Source: Mead, S., Hilton, D., & Curtis, L. (2001). Peer support: A theoretical perspective. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 25, 134-141.
Additional Resources
Recognizing Farm Family Stress
http://pcpros.net/~debessel/WI_DATCP/Farm_Stress/farm_stress.html
Coping with Stress in Your Life
University of Minnesota Extension Service
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/components/7269-2.html
Coping with Stress
University of Iowa Counseling Services
http://www.uiowa.edu/~ucs/copstress.html
The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook
5th ed., authors: Davis, Robbins-Eshelman, and McKay
Self-teaching physical relaxation exercises, stress reduction techniques, and other self-help exercises.
This newsletter was supported in part by USDA-CSREES grant award number 2002-41590-01370.