Dyck focused on the history of psychiatric hospitals in Canada, focusing on Saskatchewan's psychiatric hospitals, such as the Weyburn and North Battleford facilities, and some of the problems patients faced in the early days, such as overcrowding.
“While there have been some celebratory days in terms of the economic boost that hospitals have provided, I think there have also been some pretty tough days for patients,” she said.much work effort [was] Involved in ground management, etc.
Dyke said the early days weren't all bad, adding: “There were definitely some hits and misses.”
She noted that Saskatchewan is a place for innovative thinking and “thinking outside the box” in psychiatry.
“We really took a leadership role at times in helping to reinvest in the community and reinvest in our patients as part of the community,” Dyke said. “I think that’s something we should really cherish and be proud of.”
Dyke said she was excited to be involved in Mental Health Week activities and the Saskatchewan Hospital Legacy Trail Walk.
“It’s part of the spirit,” she said. “What Saskatchewan has often given us in that mindset is to really think about not just investing in health care, but a wide range of services that integrate with the community.”
Jane Schley, who is part of the Saskatchewan Hospital Legacy Trail Project and the Battleford Northwest Historical Society, is a former psychiatric registered nurse who worked at the former Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford after graduating in 1956.
Schley said Dyke's presentation was “really great.”
“A lot of what she said resonates with me, especially in regards to Saskatchewan hospitals and her research on mental health in Saskatchewan, because I was there, too,” Schley said.
When she started the hospital, it was both a treatment center and a training facility.
“We’ve seen improvements since way back in the early ’50s, like insulin therapy, lobotomies, and all the other new treatments. [treatments]to [pharmaceutical] The drugs are starting to take effect. It was a big upward curve. Far more people can now be helped quickly and easily than with the old methods. It is amazing. “
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angela.brown@pattisonmedia.com
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