Tin the city of Geel in Belgium it has a reception system for people suffering from mental health problems. These host families sometimes host their boarders for decades, making them an integral part of the nuclear family. Families see the care they offer as normal, because many know them from their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. This system is within Geel’s DNA.
In this way, families want to normalize the lives of the mentally ill, treating them not as patients with a diagnosis, to institutionalize them, but as people deserving of dignity and inclusion. This form of altruistic psychiatric care has been part of Geel since the 13th century. It started when a church was built for Saint Dymphna, who is the patron saint of mental illness. Due to the construction of the church, pilgrims began to flock to the city. At the time, about 2,000 pensioners lived with local farmers. They helped with daily tasks. This was the beginning of the foster care system and it is still there, now spanning seven centuries.
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Psychologist Wilfried Bogaerts (left) and case manager Michelle Lambrechts in the visitor center of the OPZ hospital in Geel, Belgium. Behind them are pictures of former patients from the shelter system
The system has been organized and advanced over the centuries. Since the 1860s, the city’s State Psychiatric Hospital (OPZ) has been providing professional support services. The center also has a nursery and offers psychiatric treatment and counseling for boarders, if needed.
I visited six families in Geel, where I saw everyday life going on almost as usual. Pensioners played with family members, did chores and watched TV together. For many of the boarders it is important to have structure and routines, something Geelians believe boarders are getting more naturally than when they are institutionalized.
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Boarder Heidi, left, in the center of Geel, Belgium with her host, Maria Dierckx
Pensioner Heidi, 71, lives with her foster carer, Maria Dierckx. I photographed them early in the morning, while Heidi was waiting for the bus to take them to the OPZ nursery. The bus was a little late and Heidi started to get nervous. I saw him pacing up and down the living room, looking at the clock. Maria came in to sit with Heidi, to make small talk, which immediately put Heidi at ease. When the bus arrived, Heidi went outside, giving Maria a kiss on the cheek first. It is these small daily practices that give boarders a sense of security and belonging. A family you can trust.
Maggy Vleugels, 58, and her husband, Jozef Huysmans, welcome Hilda, 65. This is not his first pensioner. Maggy grew up in a family where boarders were part of everyday life. Her mother and father also cared for several boarders. When her parents died, Maggy decided to take care of her boarder, Jeff. When after many years the care of Jeff, who was struggling with serious health problems, was becoming too much for Maggy, he was transferred to the OPZ. Maggy was sad because she would have liked to take care of Jeff much longer, but she just couldn’t because the care was too specialized. He told the OPZ that he would like to host someone again. Care is in his personality, as it is with many families in Geel.
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Pensioner Hilda, right, buys flowers at the Geel market with her hosts Maggy Vleugels and Jozef Huysmans
There are about 120 boarders living with host families. There used to be thousands, but there has been a decline in participation over the years. This is mainly due to households where both men and women have jobs, which was not the case in previous centuries. Families receive an allowance of about 28 (24) for each person they care for, which covers basic expenses.
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Pensioners Luc, 75 (left) and Etty, 71, watch TV on the sofa. They live with Ann Peetermans, 47, who has been housing boarders with mental illnesses in her home for seven years. It now houses three boarders.
Efforts to expand the program continue and marketing initiatives are underway to attract more families. In an important recent development, the Geels Care System has been added to Unesco’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
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Tarcies Remes, 28 (left) and Gitte van Doninck, 26, together in the house where they host a male pensioner. They will also soon start housing a female boarder and are currently in their new bedroom, which has yet to be fully furnished.
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Say hello to Vandeperre, chairwoman of the psychiatric shelter board and retired police social worker, at her home in Geel
In an era marked by growing awareness of mental health problems and the need for innovative solutions, Geel shows a centuries-old model built on empathy and solidarity.
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Image Source : www.theguardian.com