MENTAL-health charities are seeing increasing demand since the pandemic but a sharp fall in donations due to the cost-of-living crisis, according to the head of Mind Jersey.
Dr Patricia Tumelty has called for a more holistic, family-centred approach to mental health that addresses the impact of social and economic factors.
She said: “The cost-of-living crisis means that donors have less money in their pockets to give away, while money worries are also having a huge impact on the mental health of Islanders.”
Despite people continuing to donate and organise fundraisers, the amounts raised are around half of pre-pandemic levels, Dr Tumelty said.
She said that demand for Mind Jersey’s services has doubled since the pandemic, with more than 500 new service users in 2023 compared to 2022.
Dr Tumelty added: “A key challenge is the changing face of family life, such as young adults living with parents.
“On the other hand, some older people are experiencing increased loneliness as families may have moved away or they have lost their friends and are no longer working – all of which can lead also to financial insecurity.”
Other challenges, she explained, included where people were living with complex long-term mental illness. This can include those with a dual diagnosis, which is when someone has both a mental-health disorder and a substance-use disorder.
“This can be challenging for the individual and families especially trying to access the most effective support or treatment,” said Dr Tumelty. “It can become a vicious cycle because poverty can sometimes make people make poor decisions as they have limited choices and options.”
Meanwhile poverty and cost-of-living pressures are also impacting on families who have one adult with mental illness, with a second adult sometimes having to give up work due to their caring role – reducing total household income.
“This exacerbates the situation because less money means fewer options and opportunities for time out and self-care,” the mental-health expert explained.
Another area in which the charity has seen changes since the pandemic is Mind Jersey’s work with women.
Dr Tumelty said: “While the rise in remote working arrangements since the pandemic has been beneficial for many, these new dynamics are also putting an increased burden on employed women with family or caring responsibilities.
“This has created a shift toward more traditional gender roles where women do most of the unpaid labour at home while also working full time.
“The double burden is taking a toll on their mental health because of competing unrealistic demands.”
