Family Advisory Council
Who we are
St. Joseph’s Mental Health Care Family Advisory Council is made up of community members with lived experience supporting a loved one with mental illness.
We understand that family members and caregivers play an important role in supporting their loved one’s recovery. We also recognize that mental illness can effect the entire family.
Our goal is to help facilitate effective, on-going communication between families and staff. We also work to ensure family members are engaged as full partners in their loved one’s care, including treatment and discharge or transition planning.
What we do
- We advocate for the best quality of life, care and treatment for both inpatients and outpatients.
- We expect professional caregivers to treat each patient with the same care, respect and compassion they would want for their own family members.
- We remind others that people living with severe and persistent mental illness are members of families.
History
The Family Advisory Council was created in 1997, with the purpose of assisting staff to clearly identify ways in which the delivery of mental health care can be more sensitive and responsive to patient and family needs.
You are not alone
Helping yourself and your loved one
As a caregiver to a family member or loved one living with mental illness or receiving care in-hospital, communication between you and hospital staff is vital. Good communication helps support your loved one’s care and your own peace of mind:
- Introduce yourself to members of your loved one’s care team.
- Indicate that you wish to be part of the treatment process and would like to be kept fully informed about your family member’s condition
- Your family member must give permission to allow the doctor/staff to discuss his/her case with anyone.
- Families and caregivers, however, may provide information about your family member without his/her consent
- Inquire about visiting hours and the visiting policy
- Ask about any medications being given to your family member, possible side-effects and the changes you might notice in their behaviour.
- Keep a record of questions, concerns or observations you wish to discuss with the doctor or other members of the care team
Family Charter of Rights
The following statements are intended to reflect the needs and rights of families as partners in the delivery of mental health care for their loved ones at St. Joseph’s Health Care London.
Families have the right to:
• A mental health care program in which family involvement is valued and encouraged
• Respect and understanding
• Inclusion in the process of diagnosis, treatment and discharge planning of their loved one
• Education about their loved one’s diagnosis
• The best treatments, practices and therapies that maximize recovery and rehabilitation for their loved one
• Feedback between caregivers and professionals
• Information on community resources and how to access them
• A healing environment free of stigma
• Caring staff who understand that the whole family is impacted by their loved ones’ mental illness
Created by the Family Advisory Council of St. Joseph’s Mental Health Care Programs
“As we often say, there are really only eight kinds of people affected by mental disorder. It’s a very small list, but we all know someone on it: someone’s mother, daughter, sister or wife; someone’s father, brother, husband or son.”
~ Julia Nunes and Scott Simmie
Beyond Crazy, Journeys Through Mental Illness
The Family Advisory Council is part of a provincial body of family councils. To learn more visit: www.ofcan.org