Day at the beach for Lautoka Hospital ward patients
World Mental Health Day 2019 was a special occasion for 48-year-old Lautoka Hospital Stress Management Ward out- patient, Richard Kumar. Along with other patients and ward staff they enjoyed time out at Wailoaloa Beach on Wednesday. The Stress Management Ward staff of Lautoka Hospital, with their in and out-patients, celebrated Fiji Day on October 9th because they anticipated October 10 (yesterday) people would crowd up on the beach and they won’t be able to enjoy themselves freely.
Mr Kumar, who lives on the street, said it was the first time for him to enjoy himself at the beach.
“I felt happy today and I thank the staff for inviting me. This is the first time for me to come for a picnic and enjoy myself on the beach.
“After my parents died, I lived on the streets. I used to go to the mental hospital for medicine or if I need of anything,” he added. Mental Health Hospital Nurse Christine Erasito said it was important to bring patients to the beach and let them enjoy the normal things in life.
The theme this year is Live Life Preventing Suicide.
World Mental Health Day falls on October 10, but we thought that the beach would be full and we won’t be able to enjoy ourselves so we came and celebrates it today (yesterday),” she said. “It is important to set programmes for them to enjoy the normal things in life. “We tell them they can’t do anything. They might be mentally sick but they are physically fit. It is important for them to be included in whatever the family does,” Ms Erasito added.