![]() “Many people who were detained at Riverview in the past identify as survivors – they were there against their will and they were not allowed to leave,” said Laura Johnston, legal director of Health Justice. Hundreds of patients were sterilized against their will and were awarded compensation decades later. Some patients were subjected to treatments and therapies unconscionable by today’s medical standards: shock therapy, insulin-induced comars, and “hydrotherapy” that included hours exposed to or blasted with hot or cold water. The grounds were intended as a therapeutic sanctuary and the calm, pastoral setting provided respite and relief for some patients, with the population steadily growing over the years. ![]() Women were later included and all patients were compelled to undertake manual labour described as “occupational therapy,” which purportedly helped manage their symptoms but also supported the facility’s operations and financial position, according to a history compiled by the City of Coquitlam. What was originally called The Hospital for the Mind on Mount Coquitlam was named Essondale when it fully opened in 1913, and initially housed only men. The complex history of the site spans more than 100 years, and is casting a long shadow over the future planning for the site, which was quietly halted earlier this year. ![]() In the end, it would prove to be both a sanctuary and a place of torment for its patients. Set on the slopes overlooking the Coquitlam River, the psychiatric institution still widely known as Riverview was established to treat British Columbians with the most severe mental illnesses in a relaxing setting. Content warning: Some of the details in this story are disturbing. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |