FEATURE MENTAL HEALTH
Supporting people to continue their recovery journey – even after discharge
Stephanie Foster explains why the development of a Recovery Café within a mental health service for older adults has been a success in reducing isolation and building supportive social networks and relationships
As occupational therapists , we recognise that reducing isolation and building supportive social networks and relationships promotes a sense of purpose , good mental health and recovery , and prevents mental health problems .
Participation in meaningful activity is associated with improved self-esteem and wellbeing – something that is often lacking in those with mental health problems , who are often under occupied and engaged in passive leisure pursuits ( Shimitras et al 2003 ; Bejerholm 2010 ).
Following the successful development of Recovery Through Activity groups ( Parkinson 2014 ) within community mental health services for older people in County Durham , as part of Tees , Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust , I began to think about how we could further support our service users to continue on their recovery journey – even after discharge .
The feedback from the groups we had previously run were extremely positive , but service users had developed bonds and relationships with each other and were upset that the weekly group sessions were over , despite making improvements in their own occupational participation outside of the group .
Within the multidisciplinary team , we had often discussed the use of a ‘ drop in ’ service for service users with functional mental health problems , and this seemed like a perfect opportunity to develop one , strategically poised to coincide with the end of the Recovery Through Activity group sessions .
The creation of the aptly named Recovery Café ensured that we had a ready-made ‘ group ’ of willing participants who were already on their recovery journey – and a friendly and confident group who could welcome new members and provide insightful and positive stories of their success .
I worked jointly with community psychiatric nurses , support workers and my occupational
32 OTnews December 2021