A light in their darkness Abandoned mental health patients find a home at NIMH
BY Methmalie Dissanayake-2018-02-11
While taking my hand, she pointed at a beautifully constructed pond. In the crystal clear water, there were a few lotus blossoms.
The flowers were swaying in the wind and ornamental fish were swimming and resting under the lotus leaves.
"Yes, it is very beautiful and modern looking," I replied.
She smiled warmly. But there was also sadness behind that smile. "The pond was constructed with my own money for this ward. It's in memory of my mother. If she was alive, I won't have to be alone like this."
Renuka has been living for the past 13 years at 'Unit 02' of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). For the last 15 years since its inception in 1982, this Unit has mainly become a home for those who have been abandoned by their families. Renuka is one of them.
"For some reason which I can't understand even now, my father, sister and brother loathed me. My father was a drunkard. When my mother was alive he always used to drink and beat her. She died of cancer and I was about 12 years old then," she said.
According to Renuka, her father began to send her to houses as a domestic help after her mother's death. Her father and two siblings took the money she earned. At that time, she began to have seizures. "But my father did not stop sending me to houses.
Sometimes, I lost consciousness because of the illness. But no one cared. They only needed my money and did not bother to take me to a hospital."
Renuka's father had then sent her to a house where there was no woman and the most unfortunate chapter of her life began there. The owner of the house took her as his mistress, she said. "I got pregnant by him. After having the baby, I had to give him away to a family in the Moratuwa area for adoption. He is 21 years old now. I have visited him a few times before I was admitted to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). He called me 'nenda' (aunt)."
She said that after her seizures increased, she decided to come to NIMH by herself. "I admitted myself to the hospital. It was Dr. Neil Fernando who treated me. No one in my family visited me ever since. The hospital is like my home now. The staff take care of me and of everyone who live here."
Dr. T.I. Weerasekara who works at NIMH's 'Unit 02' told Ceylon Today that about 500 women live in the place at the moment. He said that they have finished treatment at NIMH. There were also male patients who lived in Unit 02. But they were transferred to wards built for them at NIMH later, the doctor said.
Unit 02
"There are 12 wards in Unit 02 for acute care, intermediate care, rehabilitation and special care. Very old people are in the special care wards. When patients finish treatment with NIMH, they are transferred here. Some of them should be further monitored and some of them are eligible to continue a normal life. When their families are not in a position to take care of them or when they do not want these patients back in their families, Unit 02 becomes a home for them," Dr. Weerasekara explained.
Unlike NIMH and other hospitals, Unit 02 provides an open space for its residents. It means, they do not have to stay all the time in wards. They can wander around the area freely.
Nobody wants me
Ganga (not her real name) has a different story. She has been living at Unit 02 for 12 years. Unlike the others, her siblings visit her at least once a month. All of her siblings have worked in the public administrative sector. They visit her and give her money as well, Ganga said.
She had to take treatment from NIMH as she fell ill gradually when her parents passed away. Ganga could not bear the loss. In the end, when she was 40 years old, she had to be admitted to NIMH, Ganga said.
"I have nine siblings. They are all retired public administrative sector workers. Their children also have grown up now and got married. They did not like to take me home much. I think they must have been thinking that I will be a burden to them, if they take me to their homes. But they visit me at least once a month and give money. But I really like to visit them in their homes," she said.
Padmini's parents are not alive and she has a brother and a sister. Before being admitted to NIMH, she used to reside in Borella.
"I used to wander in streets in those days so I had to be admitted to the hospital. It was about 12 years ago. Now I can live normally but my siblings don't want me. They came to visit me only once. After that, there is no response," she said.
Maheswari has been at Unit 02 for more than 17 years.
"Before getting sick, I worked at a tea factory in Kiribathgoda. My parents passed away and I have two sisters. My elder sister is living in India with her family. My younger sister used to visit me but she passed away as well. I was told that by my great aunt. I don't know where my elder sister is. I couldn't find her whereabouts either. Since none of my other relatives wants me, I'm currently living here. This is like my home now," she said.
Nimali is a mother of two children, a son and a daughter. When she had to be admitted to NIMH they were in primary school. As far as she can remember her son was in Grade 1 and the daughter was in Grade 3. Her husband used to sell moonshine.
"He always beat me. One day, when he was beating me, my head got injured. Then I got sick and had to be admitted to hospital.
That was about 10 years ago. None of them came to see me at least once after that, not even my son and daughter. I sent them so many letters, asking to come and take me home. But I didn't get any reply. I really like to see my children. I don't know why they can't remember me," she broke down and wept.
A helping hand
NIMH, being the largest tertiary care institute for treating persons with psychological disorders, provides specialized psychiatric services to the country with professionalism and care. It is also the centre for mental health training and research on the subject.
The staff of NIMH is always dedicated to serving patients with immense care and monitoring them even before they are discharged from the hospital.
To ensure a future for those who do not get enough family support, NIMH has launched several special programmes. One is opening bank accounts for them. After opening bank accounts, authorities deposit money the patients earn from using their skills, such as sewing, crafting etc.
Sandya Padmarani, Chief Special Grade Nursing officer of NIMH told Ceylon Today that the hospital also provides housing facilities outside the hospital for those who are cured and have the ability to continue normal lives.
She said, "There are about 11 houses like that. We call them community homes. When a patient who is cured has nowhere to go, they can be given a community home. It has a minimum rent about
Rs 6,000. We also have a programme to train them to work in society by improving their social skills. Our occupational therapists conduct such programmes. Even after being discharged, our officers from the Psychology Social Workers Unit visit their homes from time to time to monitor them."
Abandonment
She has several things to say about the people who do not get enough family support when they are sick.
"Sometimes, such families only come to admit the patients. They never visit them after that. When we search for them to handover the patients after they are cured, we often find that they have provided us false addresses and telephone numbers. So the patients have to stay at the hospital for so long, sometimes until they die.
"Now, the hospital requests guardians of patients to provide a National ID copy at the time they admit patients to NIMH. But some people never bring ID copies knowing that we will not turn them away," Padmarani said.
NIMH also has an agreement with a private company which outsources cleaning services. The company takes patients who have nowhere to go and have been rejected by their families, and train them on cleaning. After that, they can work at the hospital premises doing cleaning activities. The company gives them a monthly salary. It will be deposited in their bank accounts after that.
All the women mentioned in this article are also involved in cleaning activities in the hospital. From her earnings, Renuka always has an almsgiving in memory of her mother. She wishes that her mother will never die like she did in this life, in the next birth.
The staff periodically accompany them to the banks so they can withdraw the deposits.
"Some families, after getting to know about this come and take the patients home. Not to look after the patient but to take that money. After taking all the money, they bring the patient back to the hospital."
Social stigma
Furthermore, Padmarani said that during festive seasons like Sinhala Hindu New Year and Christmas, the number of patients, specially the elderly who are admitted to the hospital increases.
"Some families actually cannot provide facilities the patient needs. We can understand such situations. But some rich families who can afford it, also leave patients at the hospital. The main reason is the stigmata in society about people who are mentally ill.
They did not think that anyone can end up in mentally ill at some point in their lives. When someone in a family becomes mentally ill, others think that person is a disgrace to the family. This mentality should be changed," she said.
"Apart from that, the social system is very different these days. People do not have time to wait for another person. Everyone is running a race just to survive. This situation is another reason why mentally ill people do not receive enough family support."
Family support
Family support is crucial for patients with mental illnesses during their treatments and recovery process. By coordinating with doctors and therapists, families can learn how to spot signs and symptoms of mental disorders and how to support patient to continue his/her life.
We always go to doctors when we have physical injuries and illnesses. Like that, it is pretty normal that someone, even a person who has a strong mindset, can get a mental illness at any moment. Therefore, seeking medical help when mentally ill, is not a thing to be ashamed of. It should not be a reason to abandon a family member or a friend of ours. Everyone needs help from others, so do mental health patients.
Special thanks – Director of NIMH
Dr. Kapila Wickramanayake, Dr. Dhanushka Alahakoon – Head of Media Unit, NIMH, Nursing Officer Erandi at Quality Management and Media, NIHM, Chandana Jayawickrama – Psychiatric Social Worker, NIMH and all the nursing staff of Unit 02.
