The Riverview Reporter

Life for those with mental illness in BC in the 1990's was changing. More than one-third of the province's budget for mental health was spent on community services. There were more than 3,500 living units for people with mental health issues. Among these were family care homes, licensed specialized adult residential care facilities and semi-independent apartments.

Riverview continued to be the province's only specialized psychiatric hospital for those adults with severe and persistent mental illness even while the BC Government planned to open new mental health facilities across the province. Riverview played an important role as a teaching hospital and partnered with UBC and other hospitals as a research centre.

There has been criticism about the lack of support for those transitioning from the institution to community living by there were several initiatives put into place to assist the patients.

The first was the Bridging Program. This program connected patients with people and services in the community. Mental health agencies used cottages on the Riverview grounds as semi-independent housing to help patients adjust to a more independent living arrangements. 

The Greater Vancouver/ Riverview Hospital Transition Team would assess which patients were ready to move and help them find suitable accommodations and community supports, staying in touch with them for up to three months following discharge.

Then there was the psycho-social rehabilitation: Introduced at Riverview in 1996, the Psycho-social Rehabilitation Program prepared patients for life outside of the institution. By involving patients and/or families in developing treatment goals and care plans, psycho-social rehabilitation helps people develop life skills that will help them succeed when they return to the community.

More patients transferred into the community and the population at Riverview declined even more. In 1992, the Crease Clinic was the second large building on the grounds to close.

The  Riverview Reporter newsletter was another change. During the 50's and 60's, the Leader newsletter focused on patient's activities and life at the mental institution. The newsletter's successor, the Riverview Reporter, was a different publication. In the April/May 1992 issue, there were articles on child rearing, nutrition, recycling, the ozone layer, the drug trade and educational opportunities.

Saturday is Halloween. I hope you all fun but please, stay safe and watch out for those little ghosts and goblins making their rounds. Remember they may run out into traffic so please drive slow. We don't want any tragedies. And clocks go back an hour giving the spirits an extra hour to haunt us.

Thanks to the PDF, Riverview, A Legacy of Care and Compassion for the above information.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill

Therapies

In 1971, The Organic Brain Syndrome Project - the precursor to Riverview's Neuropsychiatry program - was established in the 42-bed ward at North Lawn. Dr. A.C. Grenier led the treatment of patients who had persistent health problems due to the degeneration of the brain due to illness or injury.

The project also conducted research, much of it related to schizophrenia. Within five years, the project occupied most of the North Lawn building.

Riverview experimented with different types of therapy including pub therapy. That wouldn't be acceptable today but, in 1973, they tried it.

“On June 8th a saloon was first opened on Ward F1 in East Lawn. This saloon now operates between 2:00-3:00 p.m. every Friday. It is called the Longhorn Saloon and everything is decorated in old fashioned western style. 

To the accompaniment of live music supplied by Mrs. Hood, the Music Therapist, the men on the ward can have a couple of beers and invite women from the other wards to have a glass of shandy or ginger ale. 

According to George Hufnagel, the charge nurse of F1, the main purpose of the saloon is to involve withdrawn patients in social activity and to bring their hospital home more aspects of community living. As long as the amounts consumed are controlled even ex-alcoholics can join in without fear. The man behind the idea was a Dr. Wyder, who has since left. 

The evident pleasure of the residents on the Ward is the best testimonial to its continuing success.” 

From September 1973 Leader

In 1973, Riverview's Registered Psychiatric Nursing Program was transferred to the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

“The last graduating class of Psychiatric Nurses at Riverview went through the graduating ceremonies on August 9th, 1973, at 8:00 p.m. at the Valleyview Auditorium. The auditorium was decorated by large arrangements of beautiful flowers grown by the gardeners at Riverview and at Woodlands School. The organ music was supplied by Frederic Nelson. The graduating nurses came in, each carrying a bouquet of red roses. Reverend L.T. Dahl gave the invocation.”

From September 1973 Leader

Riverview immediately felt the loss of nurse trainees on its wards so they launched an intense recruiting drive in the U.K. to meet their needs.

Thanks to the PDF, Riverview, A Legacy of Care and Compassion for the above information.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill

Strike at Essondale

 

Essondale was at the forefront of the government employees' movement in BC. Ever since 1919, when the first meeting of the Provincial Civil Service Association was held. In 1944, the BC Government Employees' Association was formed and Essondale 575 members. That was more than any other branch in the province including the government employees in Victoria!

Premier W.A.C. Bennett's government had an uneasy relationship with the Government Employees' Association. On March 13, 1959, members of the Association went out on strike. Including the staff at Essondale. It was a short strike, four hours long.

The issue was bargaining rights. The pickets went up at government buildings at 7 am. By 10:30 am, the B.C. Supreme Court had issued an injunction calling for an end to the strike and the picket lines went down.

However short it was, the strike had an effect on Essondale.

 Some of the psychologists asked to be allowed through the picket line (at Essondale). The nurses said: No dice. The patients will bear up quite well without them. The patients enjoyed themselves. The monotony was broken for one day.” 

Roy LaVigne, quoted in A Union Amongst Government Employees: A History of the B.C. Government Employees’ Union, 1919-1979 by Bruce McLean.

In 1969, the BC Government Employees' Association became the BC Government Employees' Union. Riverview - as Essondale was now known - employees are still members of the public sector unions represented by the BC Government Employees Union (BCGEU), the BC Nurses Union (BCNU), the Professional Employees Association (PEA) and the Union of Psychiatric Nurses of BC (UPN).

Remember I mentioned the newsletter at Essondale, The Leader? By 1960, it was no longer a little newsletter. It was a 28-page, twice monthly publication - almost a small town newspaper. The paper had an advisory board, editorial board, ward reporters, artists, typists and even a feature writer. 

In a typical issue, a reader would find a calendar of events, church services, reports from the wards, a movie schedule. They would also find jokes, news from Colony Farms, gardening tips, horoscopes, make-up tips and book reviews. Groups such as the English Club, Journalism Club, Drama Club and Reducing Club - which offered exercises and marching - published their news in The Leader.

Thanks to the PDF, Riverview, A Legacy of Care and Compassion for the above information.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill