Pistachio-coloured walls and the artwork of Dubbo South Public School children aim to make carers and families feel welcome and comfortable when they visit the Mental Health Inpatient Unit at Dubbo Base Hospital.
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A less clinical appearance, along with private waiting area and new furnishings in the unit’s family and carers room, were on show yesterday as part of Carers Week within Mental Health Month.
Kelly Leonard, co-ordinator of the Greater Western Area Health Service’s Family and Carer Mental Health Program, worked alongside nurse unit manager Derrick Ferrie in making it “more user friendly”.
Ms Leonard said the first-of-a-kind program was being rolled out across NSW to help carers and families better cope with the stress and strain of looking after mentally-ill people.
“With 90 per cent of all care provided ... by informal/ non-paid carers, and 56 per cent of carers reporting that their physical and mental health had suffered as a result of their caring
role, the program moves
forward in helping
support and inform carers in their caring journey,” she said.
Ms Leonard yesterday appealed to carers to make contact with the program by telephoning her on 6841 2975 and invited them to a morning tea at Western Plains Cultural Centre on October 27 at 10am.
“They need to be
looking after themselves,” she said.
Mental Health Month in NSW this October is part of a national mental health promotion campaign.
“It’s main aim is to promote social and emotional well-being to the population in this state,” Ms Leonard said.
