“Dignity in Mental Health” was the 2015 theme for World Mental Health Day, chosen by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH).
“Dignity” is a word that has a number of meanings, none of them precise—but we all recognize dignity when we see it, and more importantly, we recognise the lack of it when it’s absent. The aim to show the ways in which dignity can be provided in all aspects of mental health, ranging from care for our patients/consumers to the attitudes of the general public. We hope you will support the theme with activities in your own region that educate people about the importance of dignity in mental health. All too often people with mental disorders and their families find dignity absent in their dealings with health care providers and with society at large. They feel demeaned by the manner in which they are treated. Health professionals don’t have the time needed to address difficult problems. Budget problems at the national level impact health and social care budgets at the local level, making coordinated care difficult to achieve. People with mental disorders frequently do not get coordinated care for other illnesses that may be present, resulting in neglect of their overall health—and ultimately, shortened lifespans.
The World Mental Health Day material produced by WFMH looked at dignity in mental health from several directions. [bctt tweet=”In terms of mental disorders, we think about dignity in treatment and care, and consumers of mental health services can provide valuable insight about that. Person-centered care is of major importance”]
This is in total accord with what Climb Any Mountain is committed to achieving through the design and build of the first of it’s kind purpose built facility (Transitional Living Center). Our goal is to develop person-centred services that enable people with intellectual disability and mental illness to have the same opportunities for living independently as anybody else.
Download a copy of “A Case for Support” for more about our project.
Please support us by making a donation, which will make a real difference to the funds we need to raise to build the Transitional Living Center in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
