The Priory Grange Heathfield Case studies

These two case studies illustrate how the Grange service improves our patients' quality of life whatever the final outcome:

Susan had a history of depression, which led to an overdose resulting in coma and brain injury. She was treated on a Brain Injury Unit and eventually required detention under Sec 3 MHA 1983 to keep her safe.

She was admitted to the Priory Grange Heathfield with mental and physical diagnoses. She also displayed aggressive behaviour.

Her three years of in-patient treatment care gave her the opportunity to build relationships with the staff and with her family. This was through a process of slow-stream rehabilitation, which developed her self worth.

She then transferred on Section 17 leave to a residential home for a trial period. After three months she was discharged from Sec 3 and transferred permanently as an Informal resident. By this time she was participating in a full educational and rehab programme.

This resulted in funding at a lower rate in a residential unit rather than a hospital and eventually, to the delight of everyone involved, Susan went home permanently.

Jennifer came to us at the Priory Grange Heathfield with a history covering a wide range of psychiatric symptoms but no clear diagnosis, possibly early onset dementia. She was fully mobile, dysphasic, ripped her clothes and ate 'everything'. She was clinically obese, confused and restless and she presented a risk to herself and others.

We initiated a Management programme of occupation and distraction. We bought her brightly coloured boiler suits of indestructible material to cover her clothes in order to break the pattern of tearing them. We involved her in activities particularly swimming and carriage driving with 'Riding for the Disabled'. Finally she had access to food only at meal times.

The result was loss of weight, she stopped tearing her clothes, was less restless, and better occupied.

Sadly the conclusion was Jennifer's premature death at 38, The post mortem identified that she suffered from Pick's Disease.