Our Services - WORD Treatments available At Alexandra Gardens Day Hospital

Treatment of patients always starts by a thorough assessment of their mental state and personal circumstances. Following a thorough assessment, sometimes taking a couple of weeks packages of care are organised according to identified need. The full team is involved in this.

Medicines are prescribed and administered by day hospital staff. Staff record the response to medicines, along with any unwanted side effects and doses, etc are continually monitored.

Some patients find it difficult to engage in social situations when they feel vulnerable. One-to-one counselling helps those patients who find such situations threatening to engage in therapy in a more sheltered environment.

As patients grow in confidence in the Day Hospital they are encouraged to join in-groups. Initially groups are “open” ie there is no long term structure between weeks; they are stand-alone classes. These groups are designed to be non-threatening in nature and help to further develop patients' confidence.

As patients mental stakes stabilise and confidence grows they are allocated to “closed” group courses. These are classes especially designed to address directly some of the issues which cause problems for patients, for example, depression, anxiety or anger. By their nature they are more challenging to patients and a high degree of participation is expected.

For some patients, their contact with community facilities and common social amenities (such as public transport, shopping, local neighbourhood) is restricted. Often their treatment package includes direct exposure to such amenities. This involves staff escorting such patients in these situations.

For some, their level of dysfunction is of an extent that normal shopping trips are non-existent. To help these individuals one regular shopping trip is arranged per week, in the company of staff.

People with ongoing illness often have poor structure in their lives with regard to time. This group identifies the major sections of week-ends and help clients to plan for periods when the day-hospital is not available. Its aim is to help clients have a sense of direction in their activities.

For many people who attend the day-hospital, stress and anxiety is a major factor in their illness. The purpose of these relaxation classes is twofold:

(a) to allow patients at least one period of the day to de-stress, and

(b) to learn the techniques of muscle relaxation so that they can apply same in situations

outside of the Day Hospital.

This treatment deals with the cognitive aspects of dysfunctional behaviour; therapy is both intensive and challenging and clients levels of motivation directly impact upon its success.

For a particular group of patients, occupational therapy is prescribed. Its aim is to rehabilitate patients to their maximum level of functioning using several mediums from domestic skills, to social activities and the arts.

The Day Hospital recognises the input of carers on those people who suffer from mental illness. To this end staff are involved in educating, supporting and advising carers regularly. This work is formalised in regular contact with CAUSE.

This group examines issues which have particular interest to men, it focuses on the differences which appear in psychiatric and social phenomena and allows for more open discussion of same.

This group examines issues which have particular interest to women. It focuses on the differences which appear in psychiatric and social phenomena and allows for more open discussion of same.

This group encourages clients to develop themselves in terms of physical exercise and healthy lifestyles. It has one outing per week.

To help address some of the problems faced by people who suffer from on-going problems, a service is provided where-by sufferers are assisted to re-integrate into the community. This involves rehabilitative and outreach activities. A nurse who specialises in the management of patients with schizophrenia has been appointed to the Day Hospital and is developing a full package for patients.

A group runs periodically to assist those people who suffer from the loss of family members. The group look at those problems associated with prolonged grief in a structured manner and allows people to express their situation in an open environment.

This clinic deals with the full scope of treatments which is presented as a full package around all the features associated with anxiety induced conditions. It moves from the hospital to the Day Hospital and its services, to relaxation exercises, on to more pro-active activities, and on to exposure and eventual inclusion in intensively therapeutic group work.

A number of sessions each week is targeted at the needs of people aged 65 and over. Under the direction of a psychiatrist of old age, one nurse specialises in caring for this group.