b'MENTAL HEALTHCompassion overcoming stigmaCaring for residents withmental health conditionsBy Dr. Andrea Iaboni & Sarah Anderson Dr. Andrea Iaboni Sarah AndersonT he numbers of long-term care residents with aThe transition into long-term care is life-changing for the history of serious mental health conditions, such asresident, for good and bad. Some people whose lives schizophrenia and bipolar, are increasing and so toooutside were chaotic and lonely find stability, security and are the demands for mental health care and supports. community after moving to long-term care. For others, the move has the opposite effect, particularly when it results The reasons are complex. People with serious mental healthin cutting off ties to their long-term mental health supports conditions age faster and have a higher risk of dementiain the community (for example, Assertive Community than people without these diagnoses. Theyre more likely toTreatment Teams). have strokes, heart attacks, hip fractures, and other medical events that lead to disability and a need for supportive care.In some cases, chronic mental health conditions stabilize And theyre more likely to have precarious social supportwithin the supportive environment of long-term care, to networks, low income, and housing instability. the point where the resident regains the ability to live in the community. But without affordable, safe communityStarting in the 1960s, long-term psychiatric institutions (manymental health housing to return to, they end up stuck inof which were inhumane and abusive) were closed, withlong-term care.the promise of mental health reform to increase care in theIn the past decade, with investment in Behavioural Supports community including supportive housing. But those supportsOntario (BSO) and other initiatives, long-term care hasdidnt materialize. Many of the current residents with mentalmade great strides in understanding and caring for people illness are survivors of this failed system and have lived withwith dementia and responsive behaviours. The nextthe stigma of mental illness for most of their lives. frontier is building up skills and knowledge about caring for 30 LONG TERM CARE TODAY Spring/Summer 2025'