You are awesome at what you do: a customer's inspiring return to work

When PTSD and depression forced one of our customers to step away from their high-pressure job, the support of a Resolution Life Case Manager made a big difference to their recovery and returning to paid work. “You have been amazing,” they wrote.

Having a satisfying job is important for more reasons than getting a pay cheque. It gives people social connections and a sense of purpose, which we know contribute to good physical and mental health.¹

When a customer loses that connection to work, Resolution Life brings together the support needed to help get them back on their feet. And sometimes we are able to assist them to build a ‘new normal’ that is even better than before.

That was the case with this customer*, who in the prime of their life (40’s) and after assistance from one of our Resolution Life Case Managers, found a new job and a new passion.

Before 2020, this customer held a demanding senior position in a high stress industry, where attention to detail was critical in ensuring any job was completed to exact standards.  

At home, they also had a family member who was battling a chronic health issue and needed additional care.

Those combined stresses took a toll.

In 2020, during the planet-stopping pandemic, the customer was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. The severity of their illness meant they had to step away from their work.

Depression and anxiety are common illnesses. In New Zealand, about one in five adults are diagnosed with a mood or anxiety disorder.² It’s a similar situation in Australia, where one in five adults have experienced a mental illness in the previous 12 months, and almost half (45%) the adult population experiences a mental illness at some time in their life.³

For this customer, the road back to good health was challenging. Although they were having regular sessions with a psychologist, they experienced side effects from their prescribed medication.

In addition to their own health, as a caregiver, they also had to deal with their family member having several trips to the emergency department through the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns.

They were committed to their recovery and trialled new medication that they tolerated better and as lockdowns began to lift, they chose to ease themself back into the workforce.

Rather than diving back into their old job, they took their first steps back working as a volunteer at a friend’s business. As time went on, they began working more hours in that business and eventually accepted a paid role as a valued member of the team. Soon their responsibilities were growing and, eventually, they made a significant decision.

They chose to stay working in their friend’s business rather than return to their former career. This customer is now enjoying a new passion and experiencing a sense of fulfilment in their change of employment.

Throughout it all, our Resolution Life Case Manager worked collaboratively with our customer to help them through the challenges they faced.

Recently after they were back in paid employment, their Resolution Life Case Manager received a letter.

“Thank you for your help, and the chats. You have been amazing and made a difficult time somewhat easier,” they wrote.

“You are awesome at what you do. Your personable and compassionate ways are much appreciated, so thank you”.

Here to help

Our customer’s story is not an uncommon one**. Resolution Life is committed to helping our customers return to work and supporting them on their road to recovery during their claim experience.

Your ability to earn an income is likely to be one of your most valuable assets in life. Most income protection provides cover for up to 75% of your regular income if you’re temporarily unable to work due to illness or injury.⁴

With income protection you can relax knowing that your lifestyle will be protected if illness or injury means that you can’t work for an extended period of time. Having a regular income can help cover your daily living expenses and it can also help with medical expenses and rehabilitation costs.

Injuries and illnesses can result in long-term pain and disability. As well as the impact on your health, injuries and illness can also cause long absences from work or loss of income. This can cause financial strain at a time when you also need to pay for medical expenses such as hospital fees, doctors’ visits and rehabilitation costs.

^{*The customer's name has not been used to protect their anonymity.
** This has been provided as an example only to illustrate the potential benefit of taking out income protection cover, and should not be relied upon as indicative of the benefits you will receive under the income protection benefit.}