As has
now become a common theme, this hospital basically began as a holding ground
for people with mental illness. It's actually been termed Oregon's
"forgotten hospital," because of the thousands of remains that still
stay there from patient’s past. Research from a former patient explained
that,
“Wards
are overcrowded. Staffing is inadequate. Patients whose psychoses have been
stabilized by medication are being warehoused in the hospital for lack of
smaller community-based mental health centers that would be far better for
them"
All this
being said, the hospital made great strides towards moral treatment in the
following years of opening. The hospital began accepting "patients"
in February of 1859, using the typical strategies at the time to “help” people
with mental illness to “recover.” However, by 1866, the hospital began to
embrace the idea that these “mental patients” were actually human beings, not
animals, and by giving them freedoms like all other humans, these people began
to actually recover. Generally, they were no longer non-compliant, because they
weren't being treated like caged maniacs.
One thing
that Oregon Hospital changed about the facility was to build a tall fence
around the perimeter, allowing several acres of space for the patients to
exercise, explore, and ultimately maintain better overall health. Also, the
hospital began inputting jobs and tasks for the patients to complete while in
treatment, in order to provide a sense of purpose, discipline and dedication,
just like they would need to possess once out of the treatment setting. The
moral treatment philosophy became paramount in the hospital, so that corporal
punishment was not allowed.
If I had
to stay at this hospital, I would be grateful for the element of being
outdoors, moving my body and working with the tools I was given. I know this
because I've seen the inside of psychiatric hospitals today and at least one
time a day, the patients were offered to go for a walk around the premise of
the hospital. I think when the patient has a short-term stay in a hospital like
that, the walking may be enough stimulation or exercise, but anybody staying
long-term, the hospital would do well to incorporate jobs and tasks, especially
to be done outside in the fresh air and more room for free exercise (such as
running and jumping).
It
strikes me that a hospital from the late 1800's could teach our society a few
key elements that would be beneficial for people today. Although the strides we
have made in moral treatment are significant, how much else has really changed
about mental hospitals?
Libby,
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what surprises me more - that a hospital during these years COULD treat their patients with dignity and respect, or that one really DID. I am saddened to feel that most hospitals did not do what the Oregon Hospital did by offering freedoms and humanity. This hospital sounds like, of all that were discussed in this class, it was run by people who not only cared, but gave themselves the time to make sure that the patients were a priority. I genuinely wish more did the same during these years. Can you imagine how different the outcomes would have been for all those impacted by the undoings of the other facilities? I can only imagine their lives would have benefited significantly.
Kaitlynn Littlefield
I enjoyed reading about the history and how they were able to focus on clients! I loved how patients were allowed outside which can be very beneficial in clients treatment.
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