Advocate applauds app to help farmers with mental health

As early as this fall, farmers in Saskatchewan could have an app at their fingertips to help them with their mental health.

The provincial government is putting $10,000 and a 16-week development period into a Saskatoon company, Bridges Health, to push its mental health app further along.

When finished, the app will help track farmers’ mental health and point them to support and resources if needed.

The company was chosen through an Innovation Challenge this spring.

Lesley Kelly farms near Watrous and is an outspoken advocate for farmers’ mental health.

She said it’s really great to hear this project is being done. Kelly explained that farmers are under high stress and anxiety, but there’s a stigma attached to mental health in agriculture.

“Farmers are the stoic people that don’t show any signs of weakness and if you show signs of weakness, that makes you less than a farmer — and it’s simply not the case,” said Kelly.

According to the provincial government, calls to the farm stress line doubled in 2018-19 compared to the year before, and 2020 is putting new pressures on people in the agriculture sector.

Kelly said having resources available and keeping the conversation going can reduce the stigma and the silence farmers live in.

She said an app is a good idea for people like farmers who often live in rural areas and may not be able to get into the city to get help, especially in busy times during seeding and harvest.

“So support that is accessible at your fingertips in the cab of a combine or the cab of a tractor really can be lifesaving for a farmer who needs help,” she said.

There has been more and more talk about farmers’ mental health in the past few years, and Kelly said she knows the talk and attention is helping.

“I know that, through my family and my friends and other farmers in the industry, the more that we’re talking about it, sharing those hardships and those struggles, it gives someone hope that they aren’t alone — and that ultimately does help a farmer feel that encouragement to raise their hand and make that phone call,” she said.

The app is called Avail and it can analyze wellness data supplied by the user. It can offer support including articles, videos and online tips or it can provide more immediate help with a personal support network.

The app is expected to go through a pilot period this fall before being rolled out to the public at large.