Empowerment in Mental Health Care

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Empowerment in Mental Health Care

• Hedda Leopold - Germany/Belgium
• Firdevs Atici -Turkey
• Annelies Verkest Belgium
• Vedran Dido Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Empowerment

• ?

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Empowerment

• Canadian model of Occupational Performance
  Empowerment is a transformative process in which
  individuals and groups learn to gain control over
  their lives.

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Empowerment

• Communication and participation is the way to
  share power.
• It is about giving control to individuals.
• Clients and therapits achieve it together
• Focus is on what clients can doin stead of on
  what they cant do!

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• Do you mean that empowerment means doing
  nothing?

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Practice

• Zigzag
• The White Farm

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Zigzag

• Meeting house
• Who? Clients with mental disorder (and relatives)
• What? Meeting point, alcoholfree cafetaria, self
  organized time
• Staff? 3 paramedics

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• Finances?
• NOT recognized by government
• Financed by
• Sheltered living Pro Mente
• Psychiatric centre St. Hiëronymus

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What empowers Zigzag?

• Easy access (no intake)
• Anonymous, safe house
• No structured programs
• Self organizing initiatives
• Clients work as volunteers
• Information on demand

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The White Farm

• Who? Clients with mental disorders and
  handicapped people in general
• What? Work centre with different sorts and levels
  of activities
• Staff? Physio- and occupational therapists
• Finances? Psychiatric centre St. Hiëronymus

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• Workshops?
• Biological farming
• Bakery
• Bikes workshop
• Metal workshop
• Industrial packaging
• Shop

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• Way of working?
• Intake procedure
• Assessment possibilities, limitations, wishes
• Training of working skills
• Working under supervision
• Recognized by government

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What empowers the White Farm?

• Supporting environment
• Exploring whises and possibilities together
• Taking engagement and responsibility
• Learning specific and daily life skills
• Increasing self-esteem

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What does empowerment mean to us?

• Self esteem
• Freedom
• Responsiblity
• Independence
• Participation
• Feeling equal
• WELL BEING!!!

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Nurses

• Keep the balance between freedom of choice of the
  client and reasonable practice
• Being holistic
• Position of a nurse no official decision power
  but observation and mediation
• Client centered attitude

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Other professions

• ?

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Something different

• What about in your country?
• In some countries the terme empowerment is
  nearly unexsistent.

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Case study

• A client refuses to take his medication.
• In termes of empowerment, how would you react?

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• Listen to motives of the client
• Information about medication
• Aim
• Side effects
• Long term effect
• Propose reconsidering other options
• Support

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Empowerment of the audience
Are there any questions?
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• Thank you for your attention!

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References (1)

• B. J. Hemphill-Pearson (ed),1999. Assessments in
  occupational therapy. Mental health. An
  integrative approach. SLACK Inc Thorefore (USA).
• F.A.M. Kortman, 2000. Beschouwingen over
  paternalisme en autonomie in de psychiatrie.
  Tijdschrift voor psychiatrie, Vol 5, 2000, pp319
• B. Van Hoey. Cours material for ICHCI 2007
  empowerment, unedited.
• Unabhängiges Datenschutzzentrum des Landes
  Schleswig-Holstein, (ed) 2002. Besonderheiten bei
  der Einsichtnahme von Patienten in pychiatrische
  Behandlungsunterlagen. www. Datenschutzzentrm.de/
  material/themen/gesund/einpsy.htm
• www.wikipedia.org used for understanding
  perception of terms in general public in
  different languages. Sub-topics wellbeing,
  wellness, life quality, patient rights,
  dévéloppement personnel, ...
• A. Knupf, 2003. Empowerment fördern Beispiel
  Psychiatrie. Managed Care Vol 7, 2003

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References (2)

• A. Knupf, 2005. Empowerment-Förderung Zentrales
  Anliegen psychiatrischer Arbeit.
• www.beratung-und-fortbildung.de
• G. Wörishofer, 2007. Ursprung des Empowerments.
  Die ersten Aufentalte in der psychiatrische
  Kinik. www.muepe.org
• H. Katschnig et al., 2006. Social Inclusion of
  Persons suffering from Mental disorders
  strategies for Action. (Internal congress
  material). http//ec.europa.eu/health
• H. Berger, R. Paul, E. Heimsath, 2006. Task Force
  on Health Promoting Psychiatric Services.
  (Internal congress material). http//ec.europa.eu/
  health
• H. J. Luderer 1999/2007. Geschichte der
  Psychiatrie. www. lichtblick99.de/historisch1.htm
  l
• www.zorgwelzijn.nl/nieuws/..08-03-2007
• www.schizofrenieplein.nl/hulp/nieuws/..wet
  bijzondere opnemingen
• www.similes.be