How is Canada Taking Care of It’s Veterans?

By: Mary Bart

The following is an excerpt from the full article featured in Rehab Magazine’s Winter 2018/2019 issue.

Winter 2018/2019, Rehab Magazine —  For some… transitioning to civilian life is a very real struggle. To help, the Veterans Transition Network (VTN) offers programs facilitated by caring and compassionate experts who are specifically trained to help veterans transition back into civilian life. According to VTN clinician Laura Bull, “The veterans who access our services experience different levels of difficulty in transitioning. Some of that is a loss of meaning, isolation as they try and process the experiences they’ve been through, or being haunted by symptoms of PTSD that have resulted from the tours they’ve done overseas.”

VTN clinical director Dr. Mike Dadson further explains the program, saying: “The Veterans Transition Program helps veterans transition back into civilian life, chase their dreams, reach their potential and live a life that is as fulfilled and normal as possible.”

Many retiring veterans struggle with fitting back into society.

They can find it hard to relate to civilian life, and may feel disillusioned, isolated and alienated. Reconnecting with family and community is not simple. Transferability of skills is a further challenge many veterans face, making the job search a daunting proposition. Understanding differences in tempo, structure and workplace culture can pose challenges in a competitive marketplace. And veterans living in smaller or rural areas, in particular, do not always have ready access to support services.

VTN clinician Dr. Belinda Seagram believes that recovery is possible, noting that the end goal of treatment is not to become the same person they were before injury. Rather, it is to discover a new identity, reclaim cherished aspects of self that were lost and learn to build resiliency against future adversity. This type of work is time consuming and labour intensive. It usually means visiting the emotional places that most have been most trying to avoid. Doing this work in isolation is extremely difficult. It is Seagram’s belief that recovery happens within supportive communities.

For the complete article, please visit Rehab and Community Care.

About the Veterans Transition Network
The Veterans Transition Network is the only Canadian charity delivering mental health services to veterans from coast to coast. Their mission is to make sure no Canadian veteran is left suffering in isolation. The VTN’s programs, designed specifically for veterans, are backed by 20 years of research and have a 98% successful transition rate.

About Rehab and Community Care
Rehab & Community Care Medicine provides daily practice solutions that support positive health outcomes, stress-free care, leading-edge treatment, best practice case management and home health care equipment and self care options.