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| Hospital in my town, internet source |
Visiting it was a very difficult decision for me. I grew up in a nearby town that also had a state hospital. I had a childhood of memories to go with it-some good, some bad. The hospital in my town sat on a big hill overlooking the town. It was a long, Gothic, red brick building with a foreboding appearance that we could see easily from our house. Most days we could hear continual yelling from some of the patients there. We could also hear the constant squeak from swings that patients swung on all day long. We had patients write to us, begging my mother to help them get out. I was afraid of the place when I was little.
When I got older, I went with groups to sing carols and take cookies. My sister went with youth groups to play pool with other youth who were there. Sometimes we would babysit for doctors who lived on the grounds. And sometimes, my friends would be admitted there to deal with drug problems. But everyday, we lived the rhythm of our lives by the whistle that would blow at the hospital--7 am, noon, and 5 pm.
It was an important employer for our town and our neighbors and friends' parents worked there. And some of the residents were important people in our town, too. Teddy was the paper boy whom everyone depended on to be the first out with the paper. Robert had the most beautiful speaking and singing voice I'd ever heard and frequently visited churches to preform. And Esty, who did different jobs for people, was the hardest worker and had the most colorful expressions I had been around. Sometimes she would come help my mother and we would work all day trying to keep up with her. Those are just a few of the people from the hospital who integrated into our town.
After I became an educated adult, I learned that during the 100 year history of the hospital, that sometimes things were bad. Very bad even with the best of intentions. I wasn't sure that I could enter a hospital that was so similar to the one I grew up with. I had very mixed feelings about it.
But I did enter the other grand, Gothic building for a tour. And as soon as I entered I was surprised as tears started to flow. But they didn't last. I was able to tour throughout the building--some of which had been restored and some that was in disrepair. One of the things I was worried about was that these tours were taking advantage of the people who used to live there and who were treated there. I felt better after the tour to know that they were very respectful of the former patients. I was also happy to know that people who had grown up with the hospital were leading the tours. They seem to have a knowledge and empathy that I don't think you could have gotten from someone outside of the area just stating facts.
I'm still not sure how I feel about my visit to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. I don't yet totally understand the strong reaction I had to just walking into the building, but I do know that it has occupied my thoughts. I may share soon some of the actual history of the hospital. It is very interesting just as a history lesson.
Note: All the revenue from the tours is put back into the building to help with restoration.
I am sure your tour was a sobering experience. One of my long-term fieldwork placements (over 30 years ago) was in a state mental health facility. State facilities have long since been disbanded here, BTW. At the particular facility I was at, the OT's primary role with the patients was to have them placed in workshops where they created different craft items which were later sold to the public--the patients were paid for piece work. We would try to match up the tasks with their current skill level and as they improved, would give them more challenging tasks. The goal was to prepare them, if possible, for the outside world and help develop life skills which they would need to survive (attention, concentration, following directions, interacting appropriately with others, that sort of thing). From what I observed, the residents were treated well but I wasn't there 24/7 so I can't speak to all of their experiences. It was reasonably enjoyable for me and I went on to my first job from there, which was a short-term acute psychiatric hospital. Even though I no longer work in that kind of setting, I have found the experience to be invaluable. I think it has made me more aware of and empathetic to different struggles my patients have, including psycho-social disorders. I feel like mental health is one of those things that gets a lot of lip service .... there have definitely been many strides made in recent years .... but there is still room for improvement. Anyway .... sorry for the long post. Just thinking and reminiscing. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's good Kris to get a perspective from someone who has worked in this field. Your reminiscing made think about two stories. When my mother was in nursing training in 1950 they did a rotation at a psychiatric hospital. While there, they had to learn to do different crafts with the patients. The crafts were her least favorite part of that training. Also, my friend's mother had some mental health issues and was under a psychiatrist's care. Sometimes she had impatient care and really liked it there. One reason was all of the crafts they did.
DeleteI know that some readers here have had bad experiences in a psychiatric hospital, but I'm glad that that is not the norm any more these days. One reason is that psycotropic drugs have helped the mental health field in all areas.
Wow, good story. I know how it is to not want to go into somewhere because of memories. That’s just how our minds work.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been just fine to not have gone on the tour. It was not something that I needed to do. But I'm glad I went. I learned a lot and it helped put a lot of things in perspective.
DeleteIt was very courageous of you to enter that facility, as it stirred not-so-good memories from your childhood. But, perhaps, it helped with forming newer understandings from a more adult point of view.
ReplyDeleteFrom an adult point of view, it was even more upsetting. They started admitting patients here in 1864. For a lot of years, they really didn't know what to do with people with emotional/mental problems, so they did a lot of horrible things among some better things. But there were some bright spots even 150 years ago.
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