Care & Support of the Mentally Distressed

Seventy-year-old Narayan lives in a small house around Patan Durbar square, a UNESCO world heritage site. He takes care of his son Naresh who has been suffering from a mental health problem for the last few years.

A few months ago, Narayan wife died because of physical violence inflicted by their son. She suffered multiple bone fractures and severe hemorrhages. Narayan and their daughters tried to save her by admitting her to an expensive private hospital for treatment, at a cost of more than NRs.150, 000 (around US$1500) but this was in vain.

Subsequently Narayan was also diagnosed with colon cancer, which required extensive surgery. Now he is at home looking after his son and still convalescent from the surgery. Poor, old, sick and vulnerable, Narayan cries every time Chhahari Team visits him, saying he is helpless and does not know what to do. He does not have the money to pay for the expensive medicine prescribed by the doctors, yet is afraid he will die if he does not have it. He cries as he carries water to cook food and in some ways he hopes to die soon to end his suffering.

The Chhahari outreach team visits Narayan on a weekly basis to provide moral support and encouragement, as well as practical help in accessing the services he needs. Coordination with other mental health organizations has enabled him to get few free medication for  himself and his son, which has considerably improved his condition and made life easier for Narayan.

One recurring issue in mental health carer advocacy has been that mental health carers feel confused, unsupported, overwhelmed and/or excluded by the very mental health system that treats the person they care for.