Would you spend time with people whose families have forgotten about them because of their condition?
The Life Esidimeni Care Centre is a haven for people who have been diagnosed with mental illness or disability. Patients from government hospitals are admitted to the facility and according to Juanita Posthumus, administrator at the care centre, patients usually stay there between six to nine months.
Some of the older patients have been at the facility for a very long time without contact with family .”
The centre is urging the community to adopt a patient as every person needs a family or somebody who cares for them. Juanita explained that some of the patients’ families have abandoned them whereas others have little means to travel to visit them.
“We would like to see our patients connect with members of the community on a social level. Individuals may decide how they want to get involved and what they want to do for a specific patient or patients.
It would be nice, for example, for members of the community to come and visit once a week or month or every second week just to have a chat, read to a patient or have a cup of tea,” Juanita explained.
Those who would like to adopt a patient need to complete a form. They have the option to adopt up to three patients, and to adopt a specific kind of patient. For example, an older lady might relate better to a similar aged lady
People who have adopted patients are welcome to come and visit them as often as they like.”
The visit is not about bringing the patient something but about the one-on-one interaction. However, visitors are welcome to bring something along, being it a book to read to the patient or board games to play with them.
The activities patients are capable of depend on their level of functionality but just being visited will go a long way towards making patients feel less forgotten.
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