Women's Health Speaker's Series

The Northern Secretariat of the BC Centre of Excellence for
Women's Health &
the Department of Women's Studies, University of Northern
British Columbia,
Prince George, BC
present:

DEVELOPING A 'RURAL CONSCIOUSNESS':
AGED CARE, RURAL HEALTH AND RURAL WELL-BEING IN AUSTRALIA

by Dr. Daniela Stehlik

OCTOBER 20, 1998
12:OO-1:30 P.M.
ROOM 6-211, UNBC
(Bring your lunch)

Despite its image abroad, Australia is a highly centralized
and highly
urbanized country. Increasingly, rural Australia is feeling
less 'part
of the national discussion' and more marginalised from
policy decision
making - particularly when such policies affect elderly
Australians. The
emerging pattern of rural Australia remains one of
disadvantage, with lack of
access to services and lifestyle choices often cited as the
major
contributors of a diminished quality of life. Such
increasing tensions
between 'urban' and 'rural' communities should resonate to
those working
and living in northern B.C.

Using recent research conducted with small, isolated
communities in
western Queensland, this presentation - using photographs -
argues that
aged care policies in Australia need to become more focused
on
'differences' in rural settings, rather than on treating
everyone the
same - in other words, that such policies need to develop a
'rural
consciousness'.

Daniela Stehlik is Director of the Rural Social and Economic
Research
Centre at Central Queensland University, Rockhampton,
Australia, and is
currently Visiting Professor with the Women's Studies
Program at UNBC.

For more information, please contact the Northern
Secretariat of the BC
Centre of Excellence for Women's Health at [log in to unmask],
tel 250.960.5602,
fax 250.960.5644.

--
Celeste Wincapaw
Communications and Networking Strategist
BC Centre of Excellence for Women's Health
E311-4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC  V6H 3N1
http://www.bccewh.bc.ca