A DAY IN THE LIFE...

Meet Helen Baxendale, occupational therapist at Rathbone Low Secure Hospital in Liverpool...

My days have been quite different to normal during the past few months. I’m one of the occupational therapists supporting 32 men with mental health issues on two low secure wards.

Routine is important for them, so is the sense of freedom, to go out into the community as part of preparation for when they leave us. During lockdown that all stopped. They were unable to see their families. For six months their world was the ward and their bedroom. We had to think quickly so they didn’t lose their sense of purpose and become demotivated, which could set back all the progress they’ve worked hard to achieve.

It’s been challenging – but we’ve had great fun! The wards couldn’t mix so everything was duplicated. Patients run their own breakfast club, but during lockdown we cooked breakfast for them and served it to the wards – everyone was up bright and early without prompting – now that’s not the norm!

We had debates, quizzes, film nights – we even had a VE day street party on each ward. We talked a lot about how we’d remember this period of our lives – and decided to create our own time capsule. Our technical instructor Dave Hughes made a wooden container for each of the two wards.

We put in the obvious things like masks, hand sanitiser and a hand washing sign. Some men donated personal items such as favourite CDs, others wrote messages. There was a real sense of excitement at being able to contribute to history. One man insisted on putting a teapot and teabag so whoever opened the capsule could have a cuppa while discovering the artefacts.

It’s changed our relationships for the better. Maybe for the first time they saw us as human beings rather than staff. We were vulnerable just like them. Yes we’ve all slipped back into our old ways a little, but there’s a sense that we’ve shared an experience…

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