New personal best for Havenview residents
RUNNING your first marathon is a major event in the life of any fitness enthusiast, and ensuring its completed in a respectable time is of the utmost importance.
Well, service users, visitors and staff at the Havenview Residential Unit have set a personal best to be proud of following their first go at the 26.2 mile distance last week.
Tackling the marathon together in a relay over the grounds of St. John’s Community Hospital where the facility is located, the team crossed the line in under four hours, their efforts helping to raise money for the Wexford Mental Health Association’s ( WMHA) Therapeutic Fund.
The event was rounded off with a barbecue, some music and a special medal presentation to the residents of Havenview.
Havenview is a 14 en-suite bed, 24 hour nurse staffed residential purpose built unit to cater for those with a diagnosis of intellectual disability and mental illness, it opened in 2013 and replaced previous accommodation at St. Christopher’s Ward in the former St. Senan’s Hospital, Enniscorthy.
The money raised will be used to enhance of quality of life for its residents, who have complex needs and have lived in residential care for most of their lives.
Clinical Nurse Manager at Havenview and one of the organisers of the relay marathon, Mick Mahon, was delighted with the support received, ‘ The target was €2,000 but over €3,200 has been raised so far and that’s a fantastic tribute to people who support the work the Wexford Mental Health Association does and of course the care we provide here in Havenview.
‘ Today’s course was a shared covering of 65 laps of a 0.4 mile track we marked out on the grounds of St. John’s – complete with a formal finish line. We had great craic, including at the “after party”.’
‘ Today was a wonderful demonstration of our working together to find ways to provide opportunities, facilitate choice and preference, with and for those who need it most. In Havenview, we are proud to part of the national “Get
Up, Get Dressed, Get Moving” campaign, which aims to ultimately achieve better health and wellbeing for health and social care users.’
The fund has led to many exciting initiatives and collaborations, including the Arts Ability Project in association with Wexford County Council and the Integrated Exercise Practitioner for Mental Health Programme under Sports Active Wexford.
With the support of the HSE/ South East Community Healthcare’s Community Rehabilitation Mental Health Team and the Mental Health Service for People with Intellectual Disabilities, residents have engaged in activities such as horticulture poly-tunnel and a sports club in association with County Wexford Community Workshop (CWCW).
Other activities under way in Havenview include the Recovery for a Creative Movement and Music Programme, singing and music (in association with the Music Exploration Office, Wexford County Council), dance and work with the Area Lead for Mental Health user engagement in the South East. Plans are also afoot to further develop a garden area, a recent arrival to which were two hens!
Senior Clinical Psychologist with South East Community Healthcare’s Waterford and Wexford mental health services Dr. Denise Rogers (who, along with Mick ran her part in the event!) said: ‘Physical activity is strongly recommended for the prevention and treatment of many illnesses. People with mental health difficulties are more likely to experience poor physical health.
People with intellectual disability are also at greater risk of both physical health problems and mental health difficulties. Physical activity is just as important for our psychological health.
‘It improves mood, sleep and self-esteem. It also reduces depression and anxiety. Many people with complex needs face barriers to engage in physical activity.”
‘In Havenview, we support our service users to engage in meaningful activity in their day to day lives.
‘ There are considerable benefits of therapeutic programmes to enhance the day to day working of nursing staff and quality of life. We were all delighted to participate in and to benefit from today’s event.’