Help in a Mental Health Nursing Home

The in-mates of the Mental Health Nursing Home aged 17 onwards have serious congenital diseases, such as hydrocephaly, organic damage of their central nervous system, Down syndrome, various physical disorders.

'Mercy’s sisters of charity have been visiting patients of the Moscow Nursing Home №11 since the year 2000. The sisters work in the division of bedridden disabled patients (11 of those have been disabled from birth) and also help look after patients in other divisions. Nine sisters of charity work shifts of twelve hours each in the Mental Health Nursing Home.

Apart from hygienic support, the sisters teach those under their care to communicate with one another, are involved in their rehabilitation, do massage. Thanks to such help, some of the patients have learnt to walk or use a wheelchair, can be spoon-fed. On top of that, the sisters run art classes for those under their care. The patients who can walk and talk are actively involved in the work of theatre classes which are run by one of the sisters of charity.

The Mental Health Nursing Home has its own house church consecrated after St Martyr Tsarevitch Alexiy, and a Sunday school where the sisters teach those under their care the basics of the Orthodox Faith. The sisters of charity work with the Nursing Home according to a Cooperation Agreement between the Orthodox Service “Mercy” and the state Mental Health Nursing Home №11.