The first phase of shifting stable patients from a state-run psychiatric treatment facility in Goa to an old age home will begin anytime soon with all decks cleared for the first ever such rehabilitation, a senior official said today.
The state cabinet had approved shifting of 120 patients from Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (IPHB) to the old age home facility run by Institute of Assistance at Chimbel village.
"But we will be taking a batch of only 24 such patients after we are convinced that they are stable-minded," Vasanti Parvatkar, Director, Institute of Assistance told PTI.
The old age home will admit only people above 55 years of age.
The IPHB, a 190 bedded facility, is left with no beds as several patients are left abandoned there by their families for more than five years.
Parvatkar said the shifting can be done anytime now but IPHB has asked to conduct a ten-day orientation programme for patients before they mix up with other inmates.
The Institute of Assistance facility in Chimbel can house 70 inmates in all.
IPHB currently has seven patients below 30 years of age, 30 patients in the age group of 30-40, 28 between 41-50, eleven between 51-60 and eight above 71 years who are here for more than five years and are considerably sound in mental health.
The records indicate that the age of 15 patients is not known.
IPHB officials said that these patients are mostly non-Goans who are admitted here after being found mentally ill and loitering on the road.
"If we ask them their addresses they can't recollect.
With no relative coming forward to take them, they remain in the hospital occupying bed and limiting the new admissions even after their mental health is stable," the official said.
