In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, The CHAS Foundation is starting a new initiative to help provide local In-Patient Psychiatric Treatment facilities with safe recreational items for the patients.
Mental Illness is already a difficult condition to overcome, and nothing can stifle the spirit as much as idle minds and idle hands. Certainly, having a safe refuge for people too ill to care for themselves is paramount, but there is a basic dignity in humanity with having an industry or an outlet, especially at a time when patients are separated from loved ones and lonely. In fact, having calming activities at their disposal will most certainly help relieve anxieties, reduce depression and improve morale. This may seem like a small thing to some, but for patients in psychiatric facilities, it can tremendously improve quality of life and self-esteem, which is crucial for recovery.
“Boredom has been reported as a common experience for service users of acute psychiatric wards. It has been associated with negative mental and physical health.”
– Boredom proneness in a psychiatric inpatient population.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21813480
In our institutions of care for the mentally suffering, there is a striking need for mental and physical occupation. Boredom only breeds malcontents. Therefore, the CHAS Foundation seeks your help in providing these patients with the activities, distractions, and occupations that we all need, but in a way that best facilitates their recovery.
To set the foundation for this effort, we are working to provide Sentara Norfolk General’s In-Patient Psychiatric facility with items that can really improve the quality of their patients’ lives. Hopefully we can expand this program to other local facilities in the future. And we need the help of the community to get this going!
**All items must be soft covers and without staples or spiral bindings for patient and staff safety. Please also consider content of material as well, so the patients can have uplifting, inspiring and motivational material at their disposal. All below items are approved by Sentara Medical staff.
ITEMS NEEDED:
Paperback books
Magazines
Puzzle books
Coloring books
Playing cards
For now, we have one drop off location for this project, but would love to have another business community partner willing to accept donations for this cause. If you are a business interesting in helping with this project, please contact us at info@thechasfoundation.org, and we will contact you with details.
For those of you donating items, please include your name and contact information, so we can thank you for your generosity and support of this initiative. Our current drop off location is:
The White Rabbit
334 W. 21st Street
Norfolk, VA 23517
