Patients and staff exercise at Sandhurst
Reducing burnout and improving staff wellness and morale is so important at Tara Hospital.
Tara Hospital, based in Sandhurst, hosted its first Tara Run/Walk for in-patients at the hospital as well as for all the staff working there.
The recent event consisted of a 2km-route around the grounds of the hospital.
Tara Hospital is a public-sector specialised psychiatric hospital for people with severe mental illness.
Although to some people, 2km may not seem very far, for many of those who participated in this event, it was certainly a lot more exercise than they usually do.
As written on the participants’ faces, the event was enjoyed by all, whether they ran, jogged, or walked.
Staff were also involved in marshalling for the run, and they had a great time cheering on their patients, including the eldest participant, who is 74- years -old, and danced her way over the finish line.
Tara Hospital’s acting CEO, Naazneen Ebrahim, said, “I am so pleased that the event was a success, and we do hope that it is something that we will be able to do on a more regular basis for our staff and our patients.”
Dr Belinda Marais, who organised the event, is one of the psychiatrists at Tara Hospital and feels strongly about the importance of exercise for her patients.
Marais said, “The famous expression there is no health without mental health emphasises the need to have a holistic view by also considering mental health as an integral part of overall health and well-being, which as a mental healthcare provider I absolutely agree with.
The doctor added that people living with mental illness (PWMI) have high rates of medical disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, which are further compounded by weight gain and other metabolic side effects caused by many of the medications used to treat mental illness.
“Exercise has been proven to improve all of these conditions… and it is also such a simple, inexpensive, and fun intervention.”
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