The review of the literature has uncovered a correlation between mental illnesses and disempowerment. Moritz et al. (2010) have found out that people lose control over their lives the moment they suffer from a psychiatric disability. The primary concern is that global communities have traditionally stigmatized individuals suffering from mental health diseases. Society often confines patients presented with psychotic complications in secluded facilities (Rigby & Alexander, 2008). Consequently, these victims never get the opportunity to take part in social activities because the public considers them to be “unproductive” or “useless” (Moritz et al., 2010). Conversely, we have resolved to deviate from these notions by giving the Pinecrest residents a chance to form social networks. According to Galletly (2009), social isolation worsens the severity of psychiatric symptoms.
Our meeting with Lisa and Annette brought us to the conclusion that the Pinecrest residents are required to increase their level of socialization. In addition, it was imperative to encourage the clients to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Firstly, we noted that only three individuals joined us to play the BINGO game, which we introduced as a first intervention. By contrast, the others focused on independent activities. For example, G was filling a puzzle by himself while other individuals watched television or drank pop in isolation. The highlighted instances exemplify the extent of seclusion at the Pinecrest treatment center. As such, it was essential to introduce initiatives that would foster increased socialization. Cimpean and Drake (2011) have argued that social interactions enhance clinical outcomes among patients with mental disorders.
The progression of mental disorders accelerates because of societal misconceptions. In addition, these symptoms exacerbate when patients feel incompetent (Kilbourne et al., 2008). Loneliness was a common phenomenon at the Pinecrest community center. For instance, the individuals were watching the television together in silence without any form of social interaction. We will promote socialization by allowing the Pinecrest residents to participate in the carnival. The purpose of the festival activities is to support these individuals to form social networks by identifying their hobbies and interests. We hypothesize that the carnival activities will not only increase socialization but also improve the overall quality of life. The more these patients participate in multiple activities at the fair the more they will enhance their social interaction skills.
People suffering from chronic mental disorders are often isolated socially and lack the capacity to live independently (Kilbourne et al., 2008). The case of Pinecrest has highlighted the scope of social disconnectedness among patients with psychotic disorders. The activities at the carnival will help the Pinecrest residents to acquire and utilize social skills adequately. The main point of argument is that it will be counterproductive if the individuals do not use the acquired social competencies in real life. In practice, we will concentrate on making certain that these patients function autonomously. According to Dogra et al. (2009), the core of social training is to enable people with severe chronic disorders to perform communal activities with minimum support from caregivers.
On the other hand, the initial assessment revealed that these clients had adopted unhealthy lifestyles. For instance, they were accustomed to drinking pop rather than water. Second, smoking was a prevalent habit practiced by a majority of the occupants. Third, the patients had adopted a sedentary lifestyle, as well as poor nutrition options. Dogra et al. (2009) have indicated that individual lifestyle choices are the most common modifiable risk factors that cause poor physical health among mental health cases. Cimpean and Drake (2011) have asserted that notable gaps in mental health services exacerbate the physical health problems in this population. Consequently, the promotion of physical activity, combined with sound eating habits and healthy practices constitute critical priority needs for these individuals.
Individuals with severe mental illnesses are susceptible to a myriad of physical health problems. Despite being common in the general population, patients with psychotic disorders suffer the greatest consequences of poor physical health. Lifestyle choices (particularly smoking, poor diet, and inactivity) increase the risk of physical limitations. Galletly (2009) has found out that people with mental diseases are more vulnerable to the incidences of obesity and overweight compared to the general population is. Further, Cimpean and Drake have shown that poor diet and the lack of exercise contribute to the increasing cases of obesity and overweight in mental health settings. Conversely, antipsychotic medications also cause abnormal weight gain in this group of patients. We will pay particular attention to nutrition and physical activity as priority needs for the residents.
The increased risk of Pinecrest residents to deleterious physical health necessitates the development of prevention measures. As such, our second intervention will focus on modifying the underlying risk factors and lifestyle choices. The primary objective is to modulate the poor diet, sedentary behaviors, and smoking. In relation to nutrition, we found out that the Pinecrest community was promoting unhealthy dietary choices, exemplified by low fiber and high-calorie intakes. We will take advantage of the carnival to train these individuals on how to adopt sound eating habits. For instance, we will encourage them to consume water, vegetables, and fruits during the carnival. We expect that these practices will become a norm in the long term.
Physical activity is a very vital component of health and wellbeing. Findings from medical studies have shown that exercise reduces the risks of chronic diseases in people with mental illnesses. For instance, Dogra et al. (2009) have established that constant exercising improves cognition and behavior significantly. Despite these benefits, Propst (2010) has noted the difficulty of implementing physical activity in mental health settings because of emotional and behavioral disturbances. We have resolved to encourage the patients to participate in physical activities during the carnival. The primary objective is to enhance physical functioning besides promoting social connectedness. Some of the individuals are suffering from arthritis, which is an indicator of declining mobility.
Person-centered care plays a fundamental role in facilitating recovery in patients suffering from chronic mental disorders. The essence of client-focused nursing is that mental illnesses are diverse with each condition having unique symptoms (Wölwer & Frommann, 2011). Propst (2010) has reported that patients suffering from mental diseases have unmet needs because care providers usually generalize these conditions. Unfortunately, Pinecrest had adopted a similar model ofa treatment since it was focusing more on group activities that do not prioritize the necessities of individual patients. The aim of our interventions is to ensure that every person at Pinecrest takes control over their lives. We will implement physical activity and socialization concurrently to achieve beneficial outcomes. As such, activities at the carnival will incorporate aspects of social interaction and physical activity.