WILLOW BROOK: THE LAST GREAT DISGRACE
While watching the video, Willow Brook, by Geraldo Rivera, I was able to observe several mentally retarded youthful people who are left to roam in the compound of the hospital without anybody taking care of them. They are dirty, weary, and almost naked. I saw naked boys and girls jumping up and down under the influence of their mental impairment as others cried and howled as if mediating to a supernatural power in the sky. Most of the time, the children were left in the darkness at night as they experienced cold and scourged by the sun during the day. It seemed to be a place of total neglect and disorder. Watching the video gave me a sense of sadness and anger for I’m sure that there are many people employed by the government in the largest institution, Willow Brook to offer warmth and professional care to the unfortunate patients of mental illness. The children are filled with fear and frustration in their mental state. The video impacted me with a sense of responsibility. I felt like I should have gotten the slightest opportunity to come to the rescue of the victims. I would feel disappointed, lugubrious, and melancholic should I find out that my family member is treated the same way the children are treated at the institution.
When finally the second video commenced, I felt a sigh of relief to realize that some of the victims at Will Brook survived their mental illness and became responsible members of the society. One of the young people had grown into a powerful advocate several years later and spoke strongly against the deplorable conditions they faced in the institution intending to make the place better for those who may need it in the future. The pathetic conditions prevailed at Will Brook and some other institutions due to lack of proper facilities to care for the sick, lack of commitment from the government, which resulted in the I don’t care attitude of the employees as coupled with the employees‘ incompetence. These factors that allowed such conditions to prevail were the same factors that made the workers at Will Brook to mistreat the children under their care. A repeat of such conditions in the future can be avoided by the government ensuring that proper medical equipment is provided to support the sick, trained medical personnel is employed and properly supervised. The workers must be highly motivated since they deal with very difficult clients in the health sector.
As helping professionals, we can do a lot to ensure that people of the same fate as the children at Will Brook are not mistreated by their purported caregivers in the institutions. All the health practitioners should join the profession in the love of service to humanity. As such, no patient can go unattended while in the hospital. All the health workers dealing with mentally impaired citizens need to undergo thorough training so that they can handle the sick professionally to improve their health. Finally, helping professionals should help infrequent inspection of health institutions to ensure that the health workers therein are doing the right thing.