Injured Worker Problems - Looking after yourself
- Physical health
Medication Use/Abuse
After 12 months of injury related symptoms
a range of injury related medicines may have been tried to help with pain
relief or treatment of associated symptoms. Some of these medications
may cause side effects, adverse reactions or interactions with other drugs.
Some medicines can cause dependence and tolerance. It is important
to be aware of what medications are for, desired effects and benefits as
well as possible side effects, interactions or adverse reactions.
Your own research and discussion with a health professional is essential for people taking
medications over a prolonged period of time.
Non Prescribed Use
There is also a tendency for some injured workers to use prescribed or
legal medications outside of guidelines leading to risks of adverse
reactions and side effects. Similarly some prescribed medications
used socially or combined with alcohol and cigarettes are sometimes used
excessively by injured workers who are struggling to cope with their
situation or injury. Illicit drugs normally used sparingly by some
people may be used increasingly after an injury for their analgesic effect
- e.g. marijuana, however drug interactions, dependence are possible and a
risk worthy of careful consideration.
Don’t stop physical activity: Substantial
Injuries rarely affect only the injured body part. They affect the ease of
performing activities of daily living and through problems such as sleep
deprivation and associated depression have the effect of lowering
motivation and the drive to be active. In turn general
physical deconditioning occurs and can be associated with other health
issues ( such as obesity), particularly when diet and food intake
regulation is neglected.
It is essential to maintain a reasonable level of health and fitness.
Discussion with your NTD or another health professional can be
very helpful for coming up with options you can do despite your injury
such as a supervised exercise program.
2. Social Disengagement
Don’t abandon your social network. People
who are injured often find they can’t do things they use to like to play
sports or other recreational activities. Frequently new activities have
not been taken up. Hobbies and interests are often a source of
meeting new people and to develop friendships. Many injured workers who
aren’t able to participate in activities they used to, prior to injury,
haven’t taken up new activities in the first 12 months and tend to become
socially isolated. Depression and anxiety can compound the
tendency to want social withdrawal and isolation.
What you need to consider:
- Don’t
isolate yourself
- Reach
out to people you are comfortable with and who care
- Develop
new hobbies and interests
3.
Your
Mental Health
Secondary Psychological Problems
Many injured
workers go on to develop anxiety and
depression due to ongoing injury compounding quality of life issues.
It is important to communicate concerns
to friends and family rather than bottle up emotions such as anger and sadness.
Referral via your NTD for psychological support can be helpful when issues do
not seem to be resolving and there are more significant challenges ahead.
Family dynamics - People who have sustained a
substantial injury often can’t do things as they use to at home and
need assistance and support. Often the injured person’s way of
dealing with their injury is not helpful with family relationships. They may
experience heightened irritability, anger, experience mood swings, and withdraw
and this can put strain on relationships. Psychological and
rehabilitation support is often essential when injury symptoms
impact on the lives of family members.
Concentration and memory - People experiencing chronic and acute
pain, sleep depression, injury related agitation and depression have
problems concentrating and remembering all they need to do. Use of a diary
and doing fewer things over a longer
time frame, are steps
towards accommodating and adjusting to injury, and temporary impaired
concentration difficulties.
Getting the balance right The secret to longer term injury management
is getting the balance right - doing too much and reinjuring or becoming
overwhelmed, v’s doing little or losing further function.
Accepting the need for help - An injury and changed life
circumstance that goes on for a year, poses many significant challenges
for most people, and can often be overwhelming. Support and guidance is
often essential in navigating the various obstacles, physically, psychologically and with the
system. Don’t be afraid to seek help and guidance when you need it.
KNOW WHO TO SEE FOR WHAT
SO YOU DON’T WASTE YOUR (AND THEIR) TIME AND ENERGY
In first instance contact:
- The
Insurer Agent for non-payment issues such
as wages, travel expenses, medications not being paid or not on
time.
-
WorkCover’s
Hotline. A call to Workcover has been known to speed up
processing times considerably. The Workcover Hotline is also useful for
delays in approval for specialist referrals, surgery, and
for investigative procedures.
-
Your NTD as is
the first port of call for medical or treatment issues - you need to let
them know what is happening and of changes in your physical or
psychological health
Your Solicitor can help:
- For denial of claim if you
believe your claim is valid and declination is unreasonable,
- For treatment expenses
being refused after efforts are made. To discuss and negotiate with the Agent
if the NTD or other
professional involved in service have failed
- To claim for lump sum
for impairment
- To make a common law
claim if impairment is significant and employer may have been negligent
The Workplace Rehabilitation
Provider can help:
- With travel expenses
- Accessing home help
- Assessing your workplace for ways to allow you
to go back to work without the risk of reinjuring
- Negotiating suitable duties with your employer
and NTD
- Helping to identify your longer term functional restrictions
and ways of minimising them
- Identifying alternate work directions when you
can’t return to your pre-injury employment
- Finding alternative work for you
- Accessing and follow up of treatments progress
