Mount Torrens Hotel publican Angie Lo-Faro encourages other hoteliers to take part in free Country SA suicide-prevention training
Mount Torrens Hotel publican and former nurse Angie Lo-Faro has become an important sounding board for her community, hard hit by bushfires and COVID-19. She says other publicans have an important role to play in promoting good mental health.
Adelaide Hills
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When Angie Lo-Faro gave up her career as an intensive care and emergency nurse to become a publican, she thought she had left her healthcare days behind.
But running Mount Torrens Hotel, she soon discovered the two roles had an important crossover – community connection and the chance to check in on the health and wellbeing of those around you.
That connection has become particularly important since the December 20 Cudlee Creek fires and now COVID-19, with Ms Lo-Faro often called upon to help locals in need. Sometimes over a pint of beer, or two.
“I think having a good understanding of mental health is important everywhere,” Ms Lo-Faro said.
“But because we’re such an important part of the community, understanding where people are at is more crucial than ever.
“Country people have a real functional view of health, so they don’t necessarily look after their mental health and are often not aware of it.
“So we’ve tried to create a space where people feel safe, a place they know they can come to and just have a chat and lay their problems on me.”
According to the Australian Medical Association, the impacts of COVID-19 could result in an up to 25 per cent increase in suicides – taking annual deaths well over 4000 a year.
This has prompted a call to action by LivingWorks and Country SA Primary Health Network (PHN), which have teamed up to launch free suicide prevention training – particularly aimed at fire-hit communities.
The course aims to prepare people with the skills to recognise signs of suicidal intents and, importantly, how to respond.
It was an initiative, Ms Lo-Faro said, that should be supported by all publicans.
“A lot of people are really struggling since the fires and feel they should be further with rebuilding to what they are, and of course COVID put that back even further,” she said.
“They feel abandoned, not because of anyone’s fault but because of the situation of the world.
“So this course is really important because you don’t know the incidental conversations that you’ll be a part of.
“You don’t know the thing you overhear and the meaning of it unless you have the training and background behind it.
“But if you do, can you help change their headspace and potentially save a life.”
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Country SA PHN chief executive officer Kim Hosking said the issue of suicide was serious and real.
“We are pleased to say that, at this stage, we have not seen the increase but we are conscious of the layering of distress and trauma due to bushfires and COVID-19,” Ms Hosking said.
“As such, we are investing in capacity-building strategies such as community-based suicide prevention training … as an important protective measure.”
Residents from the Adelaide Hills, Kangaroo Island, the Keilira region and the Yorke Peninsula can access the course at countrysaphn.com.au/livingworks
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636