Background

EVERYONE deserves the best possible support and care no matter what type of illness they have.

Long stays in psychiatric hospitals can be an intimidating and frightening experience not only for people who are mentally ill, but also for their families. This is why Jane Thompson set up the sanctuary fund after her daughter Lisa Bertoletti died.

Jane had

Our Aim

To provide a sanctuary for people with mental illness in Carlisle
To provide a series of Lisa Bertoletti sanctuaries throughout the UK
To challenge the stigma surrounding mental illness
To educate children in schools to a better understanding of mental illness
To raise money to make the above agenda possible

What will a Lisa Bertoletti Sanctuary Look Like?

A small home accommodating no more than 6 people at a time (the maximum stay will be 6-7 weeks)
Highly professional staff providing 24 hour care, in the form of reassurance, counselling, understanding and necessary adjustments to medication
Alternative therapy room/s where a variety of therapies e.g. massage, art, music and aromatherapy are provided
Bedrooms with ensuite facilities – with no more than 2 people sharing a bedroom and 2/3 smaller kitchens where residents would make their own breakfasts and lunches with dinner being taken together with other residents and staff
2 lounges – smoking and non-smoking
Residents would be involved in as much decision-making as possible

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spent the previous ten years watching a cycle of Lisa relapsing and being readmitted into hospital for long periods of time. She often felt pushed to her limits. She came to believe that if people receive help in smaller respite homes with intensive support when they begin to relapse it would benefit both themselves and their families because:

When signs of relapse are identified they can be acted upon
Hospitalisation could often be avoided
A home is less intimidating and frightening
Recovery will be quicker allowing people to return to their own home sooner
Families would feel relieved knowing that their loved ones are being cared for in a lovely home, whilst they had breathing space

Jane and others, who feel the same way as her, have set up the fund with the aims of providing such Lisa Bertoletti Sanctuaries for people with different types of mental illnesses. The fund works closely with the Croftlands Trust, a major not-for-profit mental health organisation, in North Cumbria.