Schizophrenia: A Handbook For Families

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Dedication

This handbook is dedicated to the families and to their loved ones who carry the burden of schizophrenia, a major psychiatric disorder.

Acknowledgements

Production of the handbook was made possible by a grant under the Health Promotion Contribution Program of Health and Welfare Canada. Its preparation was largely in the capable hands of Ms. Sharon Jennings, Communications Consultant, whose services were retained by the Schizophrenia Society of Canada (SSOC)* for that purpose. Overall supervision of the project was provided by Peter MacGibbon, Executive Director, SSOC, ably assisted by Karina Torrese, Executive Assistant, SSOC. Ms. Barbara Dubuc and her colleagues in the Mental Health Division of Health and Welfare Canada also gave valuable advice and suggestions. In addition, Health and Welfare Canada provided funds to cover the cost of printing.

A wealth of practical information was derived from the real-life experiences of relatives as caregivers for a family member or members who have schizophrenia. Most of this input originated in three focus group meetings. The first of these, which included participants from Ontario Friends of Schizophrenics, was organized with help from Ms. June Beeby, Executive Director of that provincial association, and held in Toronto. The second meeting occurred in Montreal. It brought together representatives from member organizations of la Federation quebecoise des associations des familles et amis de la personne atteinte de maladie mentale. The arrangements for this meeting were made by the Federation's President, M. Paul-Emile Poirier. The final meeting comprised members from the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia assembled under the direction of Ms. Barbara Bingham, President of that association. and took place in Halifax.

After the focus meetings, a draft of the handbook was given wide circulation to members of the SSOC provincial associations and to those of member organizations of la Federation quebecoise des associations des familles et amis de la personne atteinte de maladie mentale. Their comments and suggestions on the draft provided considerable additional material now incorporated in the handbook.

A great deal of assistance was received from health care professionals, mostly from the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry and the Queen Street Mental Health Centre in Toronto. Many helped, but I would particularly like to mention Dr. Mary Seeman, Chief in Psychiatry at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital, whose constructive criticism and comments on the contents of the handbook were especially valuable.

To all these people, and to Health and Welfare Canada who made the handbook possible, I express the gratitude and appreciation of the Board of Directors of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada.

Gordon Gwynne-Timothy
President
Schizophrenia Society of Canada
July 1990.

NOTE: Published with assistance from the Mental Health Division of the Department of National Health and Welfare. Views expressed in the handbook are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department.

* Formerly known as the Canadian Friends of Schizophrenics, the Schizophrenia Society of Canada adopted its new name after its Annual Meeting in July 1990. Several of the SSOC's provincial affiliates (Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia) have also changed their names. These are respectively now called Schizophrenia Society of Alberta, Manitoba Schizophrenia Society, Inc., and Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia. Whether or not the rest of the affiliates will follow the name change was not known during the final revision of the handbook.

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