To be mentally healthy is to be able to deal with life’s challenges, develop one’s talents, do well in school and the workplace, and make positive contributions to one’s community. Every person’s and every group’s capacity to think critically, form meaningful connections, and influence their environment rests on this foundational aspect of health and wellness. Each and every one of us has an inherent right to mental health care. And it’s vital for individual, group, and societal advancement in terms of money and resources.
Mental disorders, psychosocial disabilities, and other mental states characterised by severe distress, impaired functioning, or danger of self-harm are all considered mental health issues. Lower levels of mental well-being are more common among those with mental health disorders; however, this is not always the case.
Creating a setting that supports staff well-being, encourages patients to rehabilitate, and protects them from harm is a big problem in psychiatric inpatient treatment. Additional information is required about patients’ perceptions of safety, since this issue’s guidelines and programmes emphasise the significance of primary prevention in establishing safe surroundings.
The thought of checking into a mental health step down facility could be terrifying to some. Individuals experiencing mental health issues may experience anxiety when confined to an institutional setting, as they may not be able to fully manage their day-to-day activities while receiving treatment. Some people may be afraid of the other patients, and the stigma associated with mental institutions like sanatoriums and asylums may still affect many of the elderly.
A supportive environment
Having support and feeling safe in a mental health step down facility can be summarised in three statements:
- Services must be predictable and supportive.
- Communication and accepting responsibility.
- Lack of control and negative experiences compromise security.
Predictable and supportive
The capacity of social and mental health step down facility to address patients’ needs is at issue here. People frequently describe uncertain processes and delayed care. Medication, treatment, care, and support quality are frequently unknowns to patients. They worry that they won’t have the resources they need from social or mental health agencies when they leave the facilities. These issues were more frequently mentioned by substance users than by other patients in psychiatric addiction treatment and other clinics.
Communication and accepting responsibility
This concerns the typical day in a mental health step down facility when patients may face boredom and staff members who don’t talk to one another or the patient. The availability and friendliness of the ward staff are highly valued by patients. The patients may have valued their time with their favourite staff member very highly, but they frequently had limited opportunities for uninterrupted communication.
Lack of control and negative experiences compromise safety.
For many patients, avoiding certain situations in the facilities is the best approach to handling the many challenges they face there. In situations where they feel threatened, staff may advise them to retreat to their rooms. Being able to retreat to your own room is a great perk, especially if you ever feel threatened or harassed by a fellow patient or member of staff.
With mental health statistics climbing every day in South Africa, having a more encouraging social atmosphere in mental health step down facility’s, improved staff-patient communication, and dependable treatment and care procedures could all contribute to patients and staff feeling more supported and safer. An ongoing process should be instituted to establish organisational values that promote safe environments for both staff and patients, and it is crucial that staff members inform patients about the ward’s safety situation in general without invading their right to confidentiality.
