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Rehabilitation is our mutual concernPsychosocial rehabilitation implies social skills training, inde-

pendent living, self-confident behaviour, problem-solving technics

and coping with residual symptoms. Unfortunately, the total number

of sheltered workshops was considerably reduced. However, there

are other opportunities. It is important to open out-patient rehabili-

tation centers (giving attention to the provision of job opportunities

and encouraging social activity of patients). The growing role

belongs to the supported housing (e.g. hostels). One of the main

patients mistakes is associated with their readiness to reconcile

themselves with their declining social role and the lower quality of

life. Therefore the most important aim of New Choices is to

restore patients motivation to rehabilitate. Involvement of patientsin society is regarded as an important step to restore their social

positions.

Professor I.Ya. Gurovich

(the Moscow Research Institute of Psychiatry)

We believe

From the decisions of the 5th Inter-regional Conference of

New Choices (2006)

Implementation of the right to the high quality treatment: to

provide access to atypical antipsychotics for all needed patients

which will make it possible to choice optimal psychopharmacother-apy for each patient; to create frames for psychosocial rehabilitation

Green light to the home-based rehabilitation

Out-patient rehabilitation centers are absent in Moscow. Social

care is not accessible to those patients who are unable to leave their

homes. There is a need in various types of supported and supporting

housing, not only hospital-based facilities. It is not possible to leave

a mentally ill person without care. In this case out-patient group

home could be of great help. We need more clinical psychologists,

social workers and occupation therapy specialists. Young persons in

the first psychotic episode are to be given particular attention. Theyare to be identified and given the necessary treatment in each case.

A certain part of psychosocial rehabilitation is carried out by self

care organizations but they should not substitute professional care.

N.Yu. Muravyova (Moscow).

An invalids portrait in the interiorsof outpatient clinic and community centre

Up to 60% adult patients with schizophrenia are invalids. More

than one half of them are older than 50 years, but they fell ill whenthey were young and in a few years they became not able-bodied.

Every five of them would like to work. 70% have got a working pro-

fession. of invalids are in need of consultations (legal, psychi-

atric, social). One third of patients do not have an adequate liveli-

hood which is the result of their small pensions and their inability to

regulate their budget and to do housekeeping. The Center provides

various courses for its patients including housekeeping and commu-

nication with other people. Psychoeducational training helps our

patients recognize the early warning symptoms of relapse, to

improve treatment adherence. The Centre also provides patients

with free tickets to a theatre or a swimming-pool. Rehabilitation

division offers consultations of a therapeutist, neurologist andinstructor in physical training. Emergency social aid division pro-

vides material aid and consultations on legal matters.

O. Papsuyev, Moscow Research Institute of Psychiatry

New ChoicesNew ChoicesAllRussia Society of Persons

with Mental Health Disabilities (ARSP)

No. 9, June 2007

Newspaper is issued the time a quarter

If you want to be happy be happyKozma Prutkov

Moscow meeting. The Moscow branch was supplemented by the

most active patients relatives, Psychiatric Clinic (PC) No.10

Discussing rehabilitation problems

With the assistance of our readers we continue to publish thematic issues of our newspaper. Currently a psychiatric

care is mostly focused on social rehabilitation (well-being) of patients which implies independency and self-esteem,

ability to work and leisure skills. A young person with disability has to learn all this things from the blank sheet. It

is not enough just to acquire knowledge, more important is to use it to your benefit, said Goethe. And with our chil-

dren it was a hundredfold return.

Editorial board of New Choices

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Chronicles of our everyday life

Yura Tokarev and the whole century

of Stavropol district psychiatric clinic

Guests invited to attend the festival included the representa-

tives of Dolphin society of young disabilitied persons, localbranch of New Choices, Jan Nilsson, chief of the Psychiatric

Fund of Norway. Head of the hospital rehabilitation unit A.

Bagutsky and director of Rehabilitation Centre O. Buchkova told

about invalids way to the normal life. Thus, Yuri Tokarev has been

seriously ill for 14 years, his relatives made efforts to refer him to a

nursing home. For two years a multiprofessional team has been

working with Yura and his family. Today Yura is staying with his

relatives, he told about himself. After that there was a puppet show

performed by the efforts of the Rehabilitation Centre. Patients read

their poems and sang songs. It was really a joyful occasion.

O.Yu. Kuzova, N.V. Yashin (Stavropol)

Psychosocial rehabilitationin Stavropol Region

A team of professionals (i.g. psychiatrists, psychologists, social

workers, nurses) was trained for the male rehabilitation unit within

the framework of the Russian-Canadian and Norwegian pro-

grammes by the efforts of the PC staff. It was the result of the joined

efforts of a day clinic, labor workshops, community facilities,

department for labor and social welfare, medico-social expertise and

volunteers from the local branch of New Choices. Patients are

trained in recovering their social and communication skills, art-ther-

apy, group psychoeducation, family therapy and are also assisted in

finding jobs. At workshops patients are making artificial flowers

and linen. They go to the exhibitions, participate in festive occa-

sions. Their day is usually started with physical training, in particu-

lar, football playing. The unit became hostel for homeless patients.

Our unit helps to meet the actual needs of patients and their rela-

tives, to reduce rehospitalisations; most patients manage to live

independently (with social support at home) and work. This

approach is more humanistic and less expensive than typical inpa-

tient care of chronic patients.

A. Bagutsky, the Stavropol district psychiatric hospital

Treatment is a pleasurePatients of Rehabilitation Centre at Stavropol PC

about themselves

Independent patients

I came to the Centre after hospital. They gave me a warm wel-

come, listened to my troubles. I have got regular care, started to

master a computer. Now I can type texts. Here we communicate

with each other, stage puppet shows. Independent actors feel fully

satisfied.

Victor Zadorozhny

I came, saw and did not regret

When I came there I was in severe depression, having neither

strengths nor hope. The staff was very kind to me: Come again

tomorrow! I have already known that here I could find pals and

professionals. In 2-3 months I felt much better as if I were given the

aqua vitae. Now I see that my life has sense. I attend psychother-

apeutic groups. I want to live and work!

Oleg Toropov (28)

At the beginning of the road

Among the unsolved problems of invalids in Russia are com-

petition employment, housing, inadequate provision of new genera-

tion psychotropics. We have constantly brought these problems to

the attention of our municipal and federal authorities. We urge par-

ents of our mentally ill patients to look at the problem from the other

point of view: What actual steps they have to make to help their

relatives? We do not have time to wait for the problem to be

resolved in itself; we have to achieve the real results by your own

efforts. We are planning a round-table meeting with the involvement

of all public organizations of St. Petersburg dealing with the prob-

lems of invalids, to discuss our mutual problems, to formulate our

proposals and to propose alternative solutions for their incorpora-

tion in the Minutes of the general meeting and subsequent submis-

sion to the City Government. Leisure and psychological support

problems are also important but they are simpler to address. There

was also the citywide art exhibition.

K. M. Lapteva, St-Petersburg Branch

A school of life and labour

Printing circle of New Choices has been meeting weekly for

five years. A grant extended by the Embassy of Canada was used to

2 New Choices No. 9

We have won! Football team of the Rehabilitation Center is

accepting congratulations of its funs.

Psychiatric education group in St. Petersburg

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buy the necessary equipment. The circle is headed by professionals.

We managed to make all working operations within the powers of

our children. We try to involve each of them in various operations

and links of the technological process. Our circle is a source of

active communication and modest leisure.

Alexei Kulikov, Moscow

Rehabilitation in Sverdlovsk Region:not easy achievements

Timber-processing and sewing workshops at the Workshops

(LW) are working to equip our local renewed psychiatric clinic and

its hostel. It is proposed to open a Centre for Medical and Social

Rehabilitation where invalids could have a chance to earn.

Realization of privileges under the ineffective laws could contribute

to the increased LW efficiency and give a chance for invalids to find

a job. Premises for the proposed hostel are found in the Psychiatric

Clinic and other medical services. In autumn a hostel will be opened

in Yekaterinburg. It is very important to establish links between the

psychiatric services and public organizations (volunteers, anti-stig-

ma programme, supported working places). Only in the city of

Nizhny Tagil there are more than ten such organizations in the field

of mental health protection, but all of them are operating in isola-

tion. Rehabilitation is a success if medicines are good. However the

Region feels deficit even in the provision of the low-cost medicines.

A.P. Potashova (Yekaterinburg, Urals)

Giving the floor to the staff of LPW

in the city of Nizhny Tagil

I did not resign myself

After my mothers death my neighbours seized my flat and I

was taken to a nursing home. I did not submit and with the help of

a lawyer Yulia Malyeeva I managed to get out of it. She and physi-

cians recommended a rehabilitation hostel. My flat was returned to

me by the decision of a court and now I live there. I have been work-

ing at Workshop for 4 years, my salary is 1.400 rubles (40 EUR). I

can communicate with people, solve my problems and feel much

better. I am very grateful to Mrs Yulia, the hostel head Natalya

Alexeevna and other people.

Sergei Trefilov (48 )(Nizhny Tagi, Urals)

Making my life a new

I was left without my relatives and my flat. I had nowhere to

go, four years I lived in Psychiatric hospital. When a rehabilitation

hostel was opened I was glad to remove there. Comfortable environ-

ment contributed to the improvement of my mental health state. I

learned to make toys and childrens things. Then I was taken to a

day care clinic. There we had group training in everyday and com-munication skills, I learned to operate a sewing-machine. During

my three-year stay at Workshop I was sewing bedding and special

cloths. I like it very much and try to do my best, now I am going to

learn to cut out. We have a good group and instructors. My salary of

1.300 rubles is a good second helping to my pension. We also have

festive events, go to the theatres and circus. For two years I with two

other patients have been living in the rehabilitation (supported) flat.

We do cooking, cleaning and even managed to do small repair. I

want to go to school to be a dressmaker. My life is getting better,

hospital is becoming a thing of the past.

Svetlana Klipova (33)

Board of honour

I have been working at workshop for 10 years. Our workshop

was making albums, raincoats and other things. Our salary was 120-

130 rubles. The break-down of the Soviet Union was a heavy blow

for our hospital. To my regret I had to change my job. When it

became possible I returned to the furniture-making workshop. I like

my job as I was used to work hard. Before my illness I was a driv-

er and in my free time I liked to make wood articles. At workshop I

was awarded special papers of honour and gifts, my photo was put

on the board of honour. We have a remarkable group, good relationswith our instructors. My salary is 1,300 rubles but the most impor-

tant thing for me is my job.

Gennady Lebedyev.

Note of the Editorial Board: according to the sociological surveys

not more than 10% of people in Russia go to and from work with

pleasure. Among them Gennady Vasilievich

Hello, smile, we have been waiting for it

for a long time

Chronic illness is severe because you fall out of the communi-

ty. Even during their remission many patients shrink into themselves

and are unable to find their place among other people. As a result

most patients get unemployed, their contacts are limited to their

family, their activity is falling down. Our organization actively sup-

ported the idea of a rehabilitation centre and we try to do as much

as possible to help with it. Any patient or invalid could come to this

centre and will be given attention of its physicians, psychologists,

nurses and technical workers. Not all work is paid. The staff and

patients are unified thanks to their mutual efforts. There are various

circles such as knitting, fine arts, theatrical, toy-making, housekeep-

ing and planning the household budget. Psychologists and society

members provide training in special communication and psycho-educational groups, there are dancing classes. We have five-o-clock

together. The District Committee for physical training and sports

provides us with free season-tickets to swimming-poolDolphin.

After swimming we all have ice-cream. Our children try to keep

New Choices No. 9 3

Printing circle

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themselves in good order, their eyes and talks changed to becomecalm and friendly. When they go along the streets it is difficult to tell

them from healthy persons of the same age. At home they are more

communicative. It is a pleasure for them to call to each other before

they go to the swimming-pool or gather at the centre. In the plans of

our centre and organizations are excursions and rest in the country-

side.

Chairman of Nijny Novgorod (upon Volga) Branch of New

Choices N. Nosova

From the Editorial Board: Our children from Moscow Branch

look so different in the days when they visit a swimming-pool and

classes. Still very shy they try to smile and the life like a mirror gives

them its smile in return.

You wrote to us

How we sought and found a job

I would like to share with you my happiness. I managed to find

a job for my daughter. The last seven years when my daughter

worked at LPW I spent every day looking through the newspaper

ads seeking for a vacancy. But all my efforts were in vain. For 2.5

years Yulia remained unemployed. I was running in search of a job

around the city but everywhere I was refused. However, our persist-

ence was rewarded. Yulia was offered a job at the printing-house. I

was also given a table near Yulias table to control her work and to

help her, if necessary. The staff was friendly to Yulia, ready to help.

Now my daughter has her earnestly earned money.

N. Klomok, Tver (near Moscow)

From the Editorial Board: This kind of approach achieved

through Yulias and her mothers suffering that helped without pre-

liminary preparations find an ordinary job provided with the subse-

quent training and support is recognized in the world as the most

promising way to return patients to the common work. A number of

regions have special multiprofessional teams dealing with the prob-

lems of employment. Their staff has close relationships with commu-

nity occupation centres and direct contacts with employers.However, usually successful employment is a result of efforts of

patients themselves and their not indifferent relatives based on their

personal initiative. An example of Yulias work showed one more

important thing it showed that persons with mental problems

should not be neglected or paid off with a scanty welfare benrfit,

they are to be given a chance to show their worth. The staff of this

particular printing-house was able to understand it.

We arrange festivals

Our outpatient clinic has a special social and legal service. We

arrange festivals, tours around sacred places, there are also musical

and fine arts circles.T. Koskova, Voronezh Branch

Life is going on!

20 years ago I spent my time in meditations and tears. My con-

dition was getting worse and worse, I felt acute pain in my soul as

if from a knife. As a result I was hospitalised. At first my sleep was

restored, and my fears, oppressive and obsessive recollections dis-

appeared. Mental balance and perception of the worlds harmony

was restored. Today I have a job at one bank, study English. I have

got a flat and made it comfortable. I am still receiving psychiatric

and psychotherapeutic treatment because insomnia is still with me.

I am sewing and knitting for my mother. I hope that in future thereare a lot of pleasant events, meetings with people, new cities and

countries. I want to BELIEVE, WAIT AND LOVE.

Natalya from the city of Tomsk (Siberia)

My Alyosha

I wish my son could return to the social life. He is a very good

boy. He has been taking atypical antipsychotic for 10 months. Now

he is able to read every day for 10 minutes, go to the shop to buy

some milk. Unfortunately, there are problems with his memory,

though earlier he was a student of a medical college.

Marina Petrovna, Irkutsk Region (Siberia)

International exhibition Art is consolidating us is to be

opened in St. Petersburg in July 2007. Among its participants

will be three members from Moscow New Choices.

Art is consolidating us is an international exhibition of amateur

painters to take place in Smolny, St. Petersburg

In October a meeting of the Public Council to discuss the problems

of in-patient psychiatric aid is to take place there. We are going to

propose new rehabilitation programmes.

EUFAMI Congress and the city of Torun, Poland (birthplace ofastronomer and physician N. Copernicus) invite all interested per-

sons to attend this event from 14 to 16 September, 2007. We work

to improve the quality of treatment and life of mentally ill persons

and their relatives.

Andjey Varot, Chairman of the National Organisation of men-

tally ill persons and guardians in Poland POL-FAMILIA

www.eufami.org.congress2007

4 New Choices No. 9

Printed by ARSP New Choices Poteshnaya str. 3,

Moscow 107076 Russia

Tel.+74959631435, fax +74959637624

email: levinan36@gmail.comwebsite: http://www.nvm.org.ru

Sponsored by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly

Living with a song (a concert at the Rehabilitation Centre in N.

Novgorod