MENTAL HEALTH PRODUCTS


A window of opportunity


How the very-latest blinds are helping to enhance mental health environments at the same time as protecting patients


I


ncreasingly, it is becoming much more widely accepted that the environments in which mental health services are delivered must be designed to be less institutional and more homely than traditional psychiatric facilities. And fixtures and fittings can play a


major role in giving a less-austere feel to a space. Window and door coverings are an important addition to a building, in particular in inpatient areas. Greg Myatt of manufacturer, Yewdale, explains: “As well as


providing obvious shading benefits and privacy; window treatments such as blinds and curtains in a mental health setting can help to relieve the feeling that a patient is far from home in a different environment.


“Often small items like this, which will help to relieve anxiety and improve focus, are removed because of ligature risks or to improve observation, making the room seem sterile and unwelcoming.”


mhdf magazine 17


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