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Nº 5. January 2014

RELEVANT OPINION

Javier Arellano, Managing Director of the San Luis Hospital Complex in Palencia, . “For us, personal attention, sensitivity and respect for each individual’s rights are fundamental”

Santa Teresa Cohabitation Unit for their belongings and memories. The the Elderly. prime objective is to minimise the We focus our efforts on offering each impact of a change of home, friends, individual comprehensive assistance, etc. Preservation of independence always adapted according to their and privacy at the same time as we needs. With this aim, last October we help them to continue to take their inaugurated our innovative Santa Te- own decisions and control their own resa Cohabitation Unit for the Elderly day-to-day lives are key aspects of with an attention concept based on the model. allowing the elderly to continue to live in an environment similar to that Benedict Menni and María Josefa Javier Arellano which they had in their own home, Recio II and III Residences even when they show a significant On these same lines, in San Luis we The San Luis Hospital Complex in Pa- level of dependence. are also immersed in a new project lencia, Spain, founded in 1889 by St. for the intellectually disabled, with Benedict Menni, has become a lea- “We focus our the building of 9 Cohabitation Units, ding point of reference in the 7 of them known as the Benedict country thanks to the work, effort efforts on offering Menni Residences, and the other two and determination of all those who known as María Josefa Recio Resi- in one way or another have been in- each individual dences II and III. The purpose of volved in its activity over the course these residences is to preserve the of its history. This activity is currently comprehensive integrity and intimacy of residents split into three areas: mental health, together with appropriate equip- attention to those who are depen- assistance” ment that combines quality and the dent, and those with intellectual di- warmth of a home. sabilities. There are around 600 beds This 13-place unit encourages the run by 7 sisters and a staff of over continuity of each person’s own lifes- These mini-residences will have a 350. tyle, so they can be surrounded by minimum of 7 and a maximum of 10

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residents, in the style of a very large family. These re- sidents will pursue their lives according to their wishes and abilities, while always being able to count on the availability of support. The intention is to equip them “We can always give with autonomy, to qualify them; they will carry out all kinds of activities, and wherever possible they will par- and receive more ticipate in the pre-employment workshops of the Oc- cupational Centre, which will enable them to opt for than we think” an employment position at the Special Employment Centre set up for that purpose.

“Centre professionals have participated in the design of this Centre, forming multi-disciplinary groups

with representatives of all Felipa Merino García areas participating in the welfare and support process” Last November, Felipa Merino García, aged 88, with a whole lifetime of volunteering at the San Luis Centre behind her, received an Honourable Centre professionals have participated in the design Mention in the 2013 State Social Volunteering of this Centre, forming multi-disciplinary groups with Awards. representatives of all areas participating in the welfare and support process. Over the last two years, staff These awards, granted by Spain’s Ministry of He- have received specific training in this new model that alth, Social Services and Equality, reflect recog- implies a change in the attention concept. nition of excellence in work carried out in this field. For us, personal attention, sensitivity and respect for each individual’s rights are fundamental; these are the For me, volunteering has been a vocation. It values that represent us and that we promote in all captivated me from the outset; I have always that we do. tried to make those at my side happy, Feli ex- plains.

For many years, together with other volunteers and several patients at the Centre, I have been holding a theatre workshop. At present I work on the organising of storytelling gatherings; I enjoy listening to participants explaining what they have found in each story and its characters. I make no distinctions, I accept all those who Santa Teresa Cohabitation Unit wish to take part with me in the activity, and I listen to what they would like us to do in the Workshop. The thing is to see them excited and happy, that is my greatest wish and my only aim, she adds.

We must never stop, as long as we have the strength: GO AHEAD!. We can always give and receive more than we think. Benedict Menni Residence

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INSTITUCIONAL St. Benedict Menni Centenary: The Word and Hospitallers

We have just begun the year 2014, which has a very Word enter into us, bringing the fruit of eternal special meaning for the Sisters Hospitallers, as it was life. on the morning of 24 April 1914, in Dinan, that our Founder and Restorer of the Hospitaller The beatitude proclaimed by Jesus and made in- Order in Spain, and , St. Benedict carnate in the life of Mary and St. Benedict Menni Menni, passed away. demands two fundamental attitudes: the hearing and the practicing of the Word. To celebrate this centenary, Brothers and Sisters, we have prepared this initiative: The Word and Hospita- Hearing the Word requires us to create spaces to llers. welcome it, to allow oneself to be found by the Word which will always come Blessed are those who hear the to meet us, to allow ourselves Word of God and obey it (Luke “The beatitude to be touched by the Word, re- 11:28). In the Gospel according maining at the feet of the Mas- to Luke, Jesus proclaims that proclaimed by Jesus ter to savour his words and those who hear the word of welcome them into our hearts. God and put it into practice and made incarnate shall be blessed. Directed at in the life of Mary Obeying the Word, that beati- those who listened to him, tude that Benedict Menni these words in particular exalt and St. Benedict knew how to live to the full, is the person of Mary His Mother, Menni demands two a challenge to all of us who the woman whose existence is form part of the Hospitaller totally moulded by the Word. fundamental Community to model our exis- tence on the basis of the Word, This beatitude defines the life of attitudes: the hearing and at the end of each day, to St. Benedict Menni; he is some- and the practicing of discover the seeds of the in- one who knew how to listen to carnation of that Word in the the Word and breathe life into the Word” paths of life and the hospitaller it as he travelled his hospitaller mission. path. Let this path with the Word, in the Word, and from At the start of this centenary of the passing into life the Word help us to live this Centenary Year with eternal of our Founder, we have begun this initiative intensity, hearing and obeying the Word and as- for walking daily with the Word, giving it a hospita- suming the duty of becoming instruments of ller reassessment to help us follow the path with it, mercy, compassion and hospitality such as today’s learning to listen to the Word and to translate it into world requires, because as St. Benedict Menni life-giving gestures. himself tells us, the Word teaches us that He who has come into the World to save sinners has not As a result, we will be able to make the experience disdained to make use even of sinners to work the one of true joy, a true beatitude, one that is born out wonders of his infinite Mercy. of awareness that only the Lord has the words of eternal life (cf John 6:68) The fruit of the Spirit is love Anabela Carneiro HSC (cf Galatians 5:22); only through the Spirit shall we General Mother Superior be able to enter into the Word and make the divine

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“The HCM association has as its aim to provide mutual support to its members, taking advantage of our knowledge and experience”

Jose Miguel Sanabria, mana- ciation is to provide mutual sup- ging director of the Beata María port and take advantage of our Ana Hospital in , Spain, knowledge and experience to shares with all the hospitaller fa- give an impulse to our position, mily the main characteristics of generating value in the health- a pioneering initiative, the Aso- care market and complying with ciación HCM (Association of our social and humanitarian Madrid Catholic Hospitals). commitment.

What is it, and who are the as- What are the guidelines for sociation members? action that have been establis- It consists of an alliance among hed? Jose Miguel Sanabria the 7 Catholic institutions run- Fundamentally, representation

Jose Miguel SanabriaJose Miguel ning general hospitals in Ma- of the HCM group at forums of drid, created with the aim of interest, the achieving of syner- the drafting of a communication providing real value to the gies by means of joint projects, programme that will help us to weight and representation of unified negotiation with clients make the HCM group known. At Catholic-run healthcare in our and suppliers, and the sharing of the same time, we have begun Autonomous Community. knowledge and management talks with some of our clients to information. seek that recognition and repre- When was it formed? What sentativeness. was its purpose? All this, rounded off with the Although we worked for over 2 promotion of the comprehen- We have also developed a few years on the project, it became sive quality standards adopted initiatives that are now a reality, formally established in July by the HCM group, including as- such as the gradual joining by all 2013. The purpose has been to sistance and response to the alliance members of the central respond to the aim, laid down in needs of our patients and their Brothers of Saint General Chapter XX of our arti- families for humane and spiri- procurement agency, which has cles, to promote alliances tual attention, and for informa- meant an average saving of 13% among Catholic-run institu- tion. on pharmacy purchases for par- tions, at the same time as we at- ticipating centres. tempt to ensure the long-term What are you currently wor- viability of our works. king on? What do the Catholic identity As the group has been formed of the centres and their respec- The main purpose of the asso- only recently, we are focusing on tive charismatic elements con-

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tribute to the group? What are the values of each Hospital that 24 years of love and are common to the group? HCM hospitals are advanced cen- service to Kinshasa tres, constantly being renewed to improve the service and welfare of our patients. The social motiva- tion for which we are noted en- courages us to evolve, to make efforts and not be satisfied with any given service quality, but to always strive for excellence.

We are healthcare experts, we are involved with our patients, we offer all the knowledge and means necessary to obtain an op- timum solution to any problem. Centre Telema We stand out because of the Ca- tholic principles that guide our steps, and we offer a guarantee Just as the founding of the Congregation was a response that with HCM one will be in to the needs of the period of our Founders, on 29 Sep- good hands. tember 1989, in response to an invitation from the local Kinshasa church, Sisters Andrea Calvo, Ángela Gutiérrez Do you plan to develop cross- and María Covadonga González arrived at Kinshasa with sector aspects such as ethics, a mission to welcome, care for and help the mentally in- bioethics, pastoral health- firm, thereby sowing their welcoming hospitality in Con- care...? golese lands and granting it a Congolese aspect. Although such cross-sector as- pects are very personal to each The Cardinal MALULA, archbishop of Kinshasa during institution, we have not ruled out that period, had expressed his concerns for the care of working on them in future. One of the mentally infirm wandering the streets of Kinshasa and the fundamental pillars of the left to their own devices. The Congregation was touched HCM group, without which the by the suffering of these marginalised sectors of society. alliance would have been impos- sible, lies in the fact that the indi- The Sisters commenced with a period of work experience vidual interests of our institutions at the Kinshasa Neuro-Psycho-Pathological Centre to be- will always prevail over any inte- come immersed in the reality of mental illness in Kins- rests of the group as a whole. hasa, and to control the mental care and health

Democratic Republic of Congo Congo of Republic Democratic techniques used in this new reality. After this period of In future… work experience, in 1991, the Sisters commenced their One possible future development activity with the creation of a Mental Health Centre taking put forward to provincial organi- the name of “TELEMA” (“upright man” in Lingala). sations is the gradual participa- tion in the medium term of other Following the example of our Founders, they incarnated, centres belonging to the 7 insti- with audacity and creativity, a service for those suffering, tutions in all regions and whate- opening missionary paths, taking hospitality a step fur- ver their field of activity, once the ther, since “love for the Church of Christ knows no original group has consolidated bounds”. its success.

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2nd Ethics Seminar

by IIHSCJ President, Sister Maria teristic of the identity of our ins- do Sameiro, CSI Managing Di- titution. rector, Dr. José Eusébio and the CSI’s Clinical Director, Dr. Pedro The central topic of this seminar, Varandas. In her opening state- “Knowing how to communicate, ment, Sister Maria Sameiro an ethical imperative” represents highlighted the fact that from a challenge for all of us who form the very beginning the hospital’s part of the Hospital Community. care had been guided by princi- We are all constantly interacting ples of respect for life and the 2nd Ethics Seminar with each other, and for that re- dignity of the person, even when ason ethics constitutes an essen- the decision-making capacity of tial component of our daily The Second Ethics Seminar on the person may often be affec- activity, enabling us to build our the topic of “Knowing how to ted, as is the case of those suf- own lives, our own history, lea- communicate, an ethical impe- fering from mental illness. ving behind marks generating rative” was held last December autonomy and self-determina- House of Health in Idanha Idanha in Health of House 5 at the “Casa de Saúde da We are aware that in this area of tion in the lives of those for Idanha (CSI)”. medicine ethical action is an es- whom we care. In line with the sential responsibility and profes- mission that defines us, within This event was designed for he- sional duty of all those of us who Hospital environments we as- alth professionals from both wi- are dedicated to this cause. In sume the challenge and the thin and outside the institution, our Institution’s Mission State- commitment to act according to and was attended by a total of ment, ethical behaviour is pre- ethical care demands in all fields 120 participants. Activity began sented as an institutional value, and decision-making. with an opening session chaired which means that it is a charac-

“Aragón Empresa” Seal of Excellence

The Nuestra Señora del Carmen portance of the distinction to Neuropsychiatric Centre of the the institution and all those co- Sisters Hospitallers has been llaborating with it in one way or awarded the Aragón Empresa another, as well as for progress Seal of Excellence as a founding towards the normalisation of enterprise. This Seal recognises mental illness: This Seal repre- the strong commitment to ex- sents recognition of the care of cellence of the Spanish Centre, mental health, the daily efforts located in Zaragoza, through of our professionals to adapt the use of tools and manage- our management model to the Recognition Ceremony ment models that boost its role evolution of mental pathologies as an institution of reference in to offer the best professional as- the field of mental health since sistance to patients and their fa- its foundation in 1971. mily members, putting an end is to be renewed every four years to the stigma that burdens this following a diagnosis and evalua-

Nuestra Sra. del Carmen del Sra. Nuestra Dr. Alfonso Cerdán, Centre ma- type of illness. tion procedure, is to spread awa- nager responsible for receiving reness and encourage the use of the award, highlighted the im- The purpose of this Seal, which management tools and models.

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Results of the Saint EDUCA-DOS project Benedict Menni

On the occasion of the cente- nary of the death of St. Benedict Menni, 1914-2014, the PRO- VINCE OF FRANCE has chosen new support to leap in a leisu- rely and pleasurable manner Some members of the research team into the heart of the life and the mission of the Founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of During the last quarter of 2013 the prestigious international the Sacred Heart of Jesus: the journal Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders published comic strip cartoon is expected

a scientific article on the results of the EDUCA-DOS project ca- France of Province to be published shortly in seve- rried out at the Province of Palencia Psychiatric Research Ins- ral languages. titute (Maria Josefa Recio Foundation). The report deals with the efficacy of a psychosocial intervention programme Readers will discover in its

Psychiatric Research Institute Research Psychiatric (EDUCA-DEM) applied in group format, to reduce or prevent pages a man who moves hea- an excessive burden on the families of persons affected by Alz- ven and earth to meet the heimer’s and other forms of dementia. It has been carried out needs of his fellow men with at a total of 22 Psychogeriatric Day Care Centres run by the generosity and open-minded- Sisters Hospitallers welfare network in Spain and Portugal, as ness, a man who stands out for well as the Navarre Health Service. his huge undertakings and works and, especially, his reli- The EDUCA-DOS Project has made it possible to perfect the gious values, a man who opens EDUCA-DEM tool for psychosocial intervention now available his arms and heart to welcome at the Institute. The effectiveness of the tool had already been all his suffering brothers, rea- demonstrated in a previous project. The current study worked ching the limits of love, a man on its application to a group of carers, and its conclusions have without frontiers. been very interesting. The professionals expressed considera- ble satisfaction with the tool, as it resulted in an improvement in certain aspects, such as caregiver anxiety. Nevertheless, it is probable that its use for a longer period or on an individual basis will be necessary for the most burdened personnel.

Another of the positive results of the Project has been the draf- ting of a short version of 12 items on the Zarit Caregiver Bur- den Scale that allows for a simpler application, retaining or improving the psychometric properties of the earlier version.

The EDUCA programme continues its activity with the EDUCA- TRES Project, focusing on the burden faced by professionals working with persons with serious mental illness.

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Our thanks to our volunteers

Tuesday, 19th November, was a ther than merely figures to ap- special day at Albese con Cas- peal to in prayer, are, above all, sano. Villa San Benedetto has ce- role models: specific, real exam- lebrated the anniversary of the ples of living and following the Canonisation of St. Benedict, Gospel, who should be exam- who was made a Saint on 21 No- ples for our own lives. vember 1999, two days in ad- vance. It is a beautiful thing to think that all the volunteers are at This anniversary was the occa- least a little inspired by the same sion to thank all the volunteers spirit of charity that moved Saint from the “Solidarietà e Servizio” Benedict and all the Church association. Saints: the spirit of guiding man Villa San Benedetto Mother Superior towards brotherhood and care with a group of volunteers This was a very significant after- of others. noon in its simplicity. In the mass, Father Davide, the cha- For this reason, Albese wanted Villa San Benedetto Menni Benedetto San Villa plain of Villa San Benedetto, re- to thank Saint Benedict Menni small works which they perform membered our Founder's great for his life and the spiritual le- on a daily basis: they provide seriousness and dedication to gacy which he left us all. At the great service and receive emo- those who suffer. The priest also same time, all the volunteers tions, joy, warmth, and great per- remembered how the Saints, ra- were warmly thanked for the sonal satisfaction.

Agreement reached with the Single Health

The Hospitals of the Sisters Hos- of definition as to the strategies alth secretary Mr. Jose de Fe- pitallers located in São Paulo to be adopted by the new mu- lippi and his advisors and Sister have had their contracts with the nicipal management for the Marilene Saveli together with Municipal Health Authority to 2013-2016 four-year term, and the directors of the São Paulo Viceprovince of Brazil of Viceprovince provide care for patients within strong reports that the con- Centres that the contracts with the Single Health System (Sis- tracts signed with institutions the Casas de Saúde Nossa Sen- tema Único de Saúde, SUS) ex- providing in-patient psychiatric hora de Fátima and Nossa Sen- tended for a further year. care would not be renewed, it hora do Caminho would be was agreed at a meeting bet- renewed for a further year. After a difficult year, with a lack ween São Paulo municipal he-

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Hospitality without borders ...

This institution was founded in 1998 in the Mahotas neighbourhood in the outskirts of Maputo. It is a Psychosocial Rehabilitation Centre operating a day-care regime supported by the Ministry of Health, with two purposes: to assist adults with mental health problems, and children with multiple disabilities. It operates from Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This centre is supported by the Congregation of Sisters Hospitallers, mainly through the Benedict Menni Foundation, and also receives support from local benefac- tors. The Health Ministry has assigned professionals from various areas to cooperate with the centre, such as psychologists, occupa- tional therapists and professionals from two psychiatric fields.

The Centre’s Director is currently Sister Maria José Roldão, suppor- ted by a further 6 sisters and a staff of 24. The people making use of the Centre are those from low income sectors. The geographical area covered by the Centre includes the surrounding neighbourho- ods of Mahotas Albazine, Magoanine and C.M.C.

Services can handle 40 adult users on an outpatient basis, and mainly provide psychosocial rehabilitation programmes, as well as offering clinical assistance, nursing care and psychological and spi- ritual support.

The children’s service, set up in 2002 is equipped to handle 55 chil- dren aged between 0 and 12 with multiple disabilities: cerebral palsy, autism, myopathy, Down syndrome, mental retardation, mi- crocephaly, osteogenesis imperfecta and epilepsy. Assistance is also provided to other children with pathologies such as AIDS, tubercu- losis... Activities carried out at the Centre include psychomotor sti- Psychosocial Rehabilitation Centre of Mahotas Mahotas of Centre Rehabilitation Psychosocial mulation, physiotherapy, and the teaching and education of children to ensure maximum development of their potential so they can achieve their highest possible levels of autonomy in their daily lives. Pedagogical education actions are also carried out with the mothers of these children on the care to be taken in relation to health, nu- trition and psychomotor stimulation.

Since it began its activities, the Mahotas Rehabilitation Centre has attended to some 504 patients.

The organisation is unique in Maputo because of its comprehensive assistance and the quality of the services it provides. It is one of the Portugal-based centres that receive volunteer missionary candidates in various areas, and during the year it provides curricular and pro- fessional internships in specialized technical matters so that in the day to day hospital it service helps to bring smiles and joy to all Psychosocial Rehabilitation Centre those persons attended to by the Centre. of Mahotas

9 Significant dates

December-February 2014. Canonical visit to the Italian Province.

February 2014. Fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the Puntiti Therapeutic Community in Cochabamba, Bolivia (02.02.2014).

February 2014. Fiftieth anniversary of the Purísima Concepción Foundation in Granada, Spain (10.02.2014).

February 2014. XXII Plenary Council, from 18 to 25 February in Portugal.

February 2014. World Day of the Sick (11.02.2014)

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