More people are seeking mental health care than ever before, with waitlists at Peterborough Regional Health Centre growing. To meet that increasing need and support the higher standard of care expected today in mental health spaces built more than 16 years ago, it’s crucial to make changes now so patients receive the best care possible.
That’s why, with donor support of the PRHC Foundation’s $60 million Campaign for PRHC, we’re investing in a new, outdoor, healing space for patients in the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at PRHC. The PICU is a six-bed, closed unit where patients receive specialized care in a safe, supportive environment. Currently, PICU patients – who may be in hospital for weeks or even months – don’t have access to the outdoors, which can be harmful to their healing journey.
Research shows that the environment where patients heal can profoundly affect the course of their recovery. Having access to outdoor spaces has proven to reduce hospital stays, lower the need for antidepressants, and minimize the use of invasive interventions such as restraints.
In the fifth episode of Heart of Healthcare, PRHC Foundation President & CEO, Lesley Heighway, finds out more about the new, donor-funded PICU courtyard, currently under construction and an important ongoing fundraising priority in the Campaign for PRHC. She chats with PRHC’s Director of Mental Health and Addictions, Jennifer Cox, and PICU Manager, RN Dakota Forsyth, about this innovative new space and what it will mean for patients in the PICU.
This video, as well as past episodes of Heart of Healthcare, are also available through the PRHC Foundation’s social media and Vimeo channels. Watch them all for inspiring conversations and stories full of compassion, resilience, and innovation. Plus, you can subscribe to receive each new Heart of Healthcare episode, along with Foundation news and other exclusive content, straight to your email inbox: sign up here.