Oylgate Community Centre was the setting recently for the launch of the HSE’s second psycho-social sports/leisure intervention programme for Mental Health Intellectual Disability (MHID) service users in Co. Wexford.
It follows on from the success of the 2023 co-produced community-based psychosocial programme and features a monthly gathering of service users from the HSE’s Havenview (Enniscorthy), Croí an Tobar (Oylegate) and Westlands (Wexford Town) residences.
A healthy living reform programme to elicit behaviour change in people with a dual diagnosis of intellectual disability and mental health disorders, this project hopes to increase the physical health and wellbeing of both the service user and the staff, through physical activity and modifiable lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, alcohol intake, poor diet and sensory integration.
The aim is to develop these health promotion interventions in a community-based venue, which will provide real life events for people with complex needs, while developing a collaborative relationship between the client, family, staff and community-based personnel to enhance the Co-Production process.
The programme will assist service users with appropriate physical activation, through functionally related sports and wellness programmes, of one hour a month, over a 12 month period. It will also incorporate the Make Every Contact Count (MECC) recording tool for inclusion in the assessment process to initiate change and assist healthcare professionals to improve the overall health of those they care for.
This project, which is part funded through Mental Health Ireland’s Kevin Plunkett Bursary Award, will be ongoing on the last Friday of every month.
This event in the Oylegate Community Centre for people with specific complex needs is part of a community based coproduction programme developed by the HSE’s Wexford Mental Health Intellectual Disability Services and features a sensory integration concept where clients and staff were introduced to the idea that we are exposed to so many sensory experiences daily and if someone has sensory processing issues, there can be some behavioural challenges.
Health Promotion awareness sessions for service users and staff in smoking cessation, nutrition, sensory integration, (with the guidance from an Occupational Therapist) and lifestyle changes through Making Every Contact Count will hopefully support people in making positive changes to their physical and mental health and wellbeing. The team consists of, Consultant Psychiatrist Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist and admin support.
This year the team has also developed strong links with HSE Health Promotion and Improvement Officers, who provided support with the activity sessions, while incorporating health promotion supports to clients and staff. Clinical Nurse Managers at the various inpatient units are also taking lead roles in the project.
Speaking at the launch in Oylegate, Mick Mahon (Advanced Nurse Practitioner with the HSE/South East Community Healthcare’s Waterford/Wexford Mental Health Intellectual Disabilities Team and project lead) said:
“People with Intellectual Disabilities and mental illness may have distinct sensory processing patterns in contrast to the general population and the evaluation of these sensory processing patterns in adults with significant mental illness can inform sensory-based treatment. There is a relationship between difficulties in sensory processing and anxiety, which can also present as challenging behaviour, where as a mental health team, we can, with a greater understanding of a person’s sensory issues, provide a much more thorough mental health assessment, which may reduce the need for pharmacological treatments and other restrictive practices.
“We are delighted to receive support from the Mental Health Ireland organisation, particularly as their bursary is named in memory of our late colleague Kevin Plunkett. Kevin served as a diligent Area Director of Nursing for Waterford/Wexford Mental Health Service and sadly passed away three years ago. Kevin’s successor, Kasia Nolan Area Director of Nursing and Joanne O Neill Asst. Director of Nursing MHID have similarly been instrumental in supporting coproduced quality initiatives across the mental health service.”
The Wexford MHID project is aptly named in memory of Mickey Connors, who was a cherished resident of Havenview in Enniscorthy.
Music and refreshments are provided after each outing by local artists and community activists.
Last updated on: 02 / 07 / 2024
