Wellness lounge brings new hope to Bellevue patients

The words "Life sweet a Bellevue!" echoed at Bellevue Hospital in Kingston as a group of patients from the occupational therapy department performed a heartfelt poem titled Life Sweet yesterday.

In a space often weighed down by stigma and misunderstanding of mental health issues, their voices rang out with joy, determination, and hope. The poem spoke of the simple yet significant victories they achieved through therapy, like learning to care for themselves, brushing their teeth, watching television, and recognising the world around them. And with every refrain, they reminded the audience that, despite their struggles, "Life sweet, life sweet...life nice, life nice."

This uplifting performance set the tone for yesterday's ceremonial opening of the hospital's new wellness lounge that will also serve as a family room. It is designed to provide patients and their families with a comfortable and welcoming space to reconnect, heal, and support each other. The lounge was made possible through the generous contributions of the Bounty Killer Foundation, British-Jamaican philanthropist Suzette Thompson, and professional footballer Leon Bailey, who, via video call, promised another $500,000. But beyond the financial support, this initiative was the realisation of a vision first conceived by Bellevue's CEO Suzette Buchanan.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Buchanan shared a story that underscored the power of human connection. She recounted the case of a patient who had been mute for 20 years, with no family visits, until one day a visitor recognised her and informed her relatives of her whereabouts. When a relative visited and sat beside her, the woman turned to Buchanan and asked, "Unuh have any bag juice?"

"Your treatment, your education, the tablets that you take can take you so far and no more," Buchanan explained. "Social support -- a familiar face, a hug, a kiss, a reminder of how much your family member loves you, a walk down memory lane -- can get you mentally well," she added.

The significance of social support in mental health care was reinforced by Dr Susan Wright, acting regional technical director, who presented sobering statistics from the World Health Organization. In 2019, approximately 970 million people worldwide were deemed to be living with a mental health disorder, including 40 million with bipolar disorder, 24 million with schizophrenia, and 14 million with eating disorders. Disruptive and dissocial behaviour affected another 40 million, while anxiety and depression had notably increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The data is clear -- no one is immune to developing a mental disorder," Wright emphasised. "Many people are affected, so it is absolutely essential that we do our share to support these persons living with mental illness, in order to enable them to achieve either full recovery, or otherwise to enable the successful management of their illness," she said. She further stressed the importance of family involvement in the healing process.

"We understand, of course, that this takes a village, and the basic unit of that village is the family. Mental health is not a solitary journey, but one that should be taken as a community in order to safeguard the best possible outcomes for those living with mental disorders." The construction of the wellness lounge began last May. The room is furnished with multiple seating areas and a smart TV, providing an environment where families can spend quality time together beyond the confines of the wards.

During the grand opening, one patient, using the smart TV in the lounge, was able to video call a relative she had not seen in a long time, telling her about her upcoming birthday. The relative, in turn, promised that she and other family members would celebrate with her. The simple but meaningful exchange showed the emotional impact of reconnection, as well as how the space will be able to connect patients to their families, near and far.

"And so, this wellness lounge extends that support for the patients, but also for the family members, who are often the unsung heroes of the mental health journey," said Wright.