While The Operator’s Manual: A Farmer’s Guide to Wellness is for anyone working in the Ag sector, I’ve geared it primarily towards men aged 30-50. Research has shown that this demographic is particularly averse to the stigma associated with mental health struggles and is more reluctant to seek help or disclose their feelings.
Creating this pocket guide also addresses the issues that farmers and other members of the rural community face regarding online resources. Many rural community members, especially in older demographics, lack the skills required to utilize online resources. Reliable internet access is also lacking in rural Ontario.
The Operator’s Manual provides farmers with culturally relevant mental health information that they can access without internet in the privacy of their own home/tractor/barn, etc.
