Youth mental health patients welcomed to bright new hospital units

New look for Foothills units A couple of vital pediatric units at Foothills got a big redesign this month. Kevin Green reports.

Bright, bold new colours and vibrant scenes now decorate the walls of the two adolescent mental health units at Foothills Hospital, creating a much more inviting environment for the young patients.

The renovation is courtesy of the Smilezone Foundation, a national agency that helps to transform healthcare spaces for pediatric patients.

In March, workers with the organization got together to make some upgrades to the Youth Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Units, including enhanced kitchen space, fresh paint, murals and some added storage.

Representatives of the Smilezone Foundation say the project was a “no brainer.”

“We support causes across Canada and I remember the day this one came to our board as a proposal,” said Scott D. Olsson. “You’ve got kids; you’ve got smiles. Every opportunity that we get to make a challenging time just a little bit easier for kids, we’re there and we’re their quickly.”

Over 1,600 youth and their families are served every year in these mental health units, which serve youth aged 13 to 17.

Both units provide inpatient treatment and outpatient services to youth and families dealing with substance use and mental health concerns.

Sheena Camps, a nurse inside Unit 26, say the patients she sees are adolescents who are struggling with a variety of mental health issues.

“Anxiety, depression, psychosis, some kind of situational trauma or a little bit of everything.”

She finds it difficult to describe the difference the new environment makes with her patients.

“When you walk onto a unit that’s bring and colourful and things match and they look good. It just makes you feel good. When you walk onto a unit that hasn’t been updated or renovated in 30 years, you’re already feeling down.”

Olsson says Calgary is very fortunate because it has the only Smilezones outside of Ontario so far.

“I am certain there are plans to see it expand westward as well as here in Calgary. Hopefully we’ll be able to see the response by way of the impact that it has on the kids and we’ll see more of these in the future.”

Camps says it’s one of those “little things” that make a huge impact on your mental health.

“For a staff member, I feel proud that this is my unit. When new parents and new patients come onto the unit, I feel proud to be able to show them around whereas before it was almost a little bit embarrassing.”

A lot of the work that went into the renovation was all done by volunteers.

(With files from Kevin Green)