Nurturing health at the Peace Ranch: CrossCurrents Spring 2004
CrossCurrents
Profile
It's the coldest day of the year and the snow is dry and squeaky underfoot; yet Alfonz the alpaca comes bustling out, with
several sheep, to meet us: gigantic eyes searching us shyly up and down for treats. Surrounded by forested hills and farmers'
fields, and just a stone's throw from the beautiful Bruce Trail, this is a small Ontario farm, an urbanite's dream country
home. With its generous front porch, gingerbread woodwork and intricate patterned brick, the house is postcard-perfect.
Inside, the house retains a farmhouse-feel, with its grand staircase, big open rooms and large pine dining tables. A white
board in the corner lists who has volunteered to take on which household duties that day. As it grows dark outside, residents
start to gather in the large, warm kitchen to begin dinner preparations.
Up and running since 1990, Peace Ranch, located in the Caledon hills, is home to 10 full-time residents, all of whom have been diagnosed with schizophrenia. The
facility offers private quarters and full board to its residents, who work as a team to maintain the household, with the help
of 24-hour staff support. The expected length of stay for residents is around three and a half years, but this is flexible
and depends on individual needs. Since 1998, the Ranch has also run a day program, sponsored by the United Way, for area residents
with various mental health issues. In 1999, staff identified a need for more housing and leased two townhouses in nearby Brampton.
These seven residents receive a lower level of daily support and live in the houses on a permanent basis.
Peace Ranch operates according to a psychosocial rehabilitation philosophy, fostering quality of life and wellness through
community living, work and rural and arts activities such as gardening, preserve-making, animal care, painting and weaving.
Most residents take medication as well to control their symptoms.
Linda Nasato, a registered nurse, has volunteered at the Ranch for about seven years, serving on its advisory committee and
its board of directors. She has seen residents who were extremely disabled by their symptoms take massive strides toward recovery.
Nasato believes very strongly in the psychosocial rehabilitation approach, which gives clients personal choice in which activities
they take part in. She cites this and the tranquility of the environment as key ingredients in the quality of Ranch life.
The belief underlying the Peace Ranch operation is "helping people to understand their illness," says director Eric Tripp-McKay.
The goal is to stop the revolving door experience, where clients have been hospitalized for months or years or experienced
ongoing, stressful and demoralizing contact with various agencies and hospitals. The biggest challenge standing in the way
of this goal, says Tripp-McKay, is "generating positive expectations; encouraging people who have negative symptoms, fighting
motivation problems, self-doubt and discrimination based on society's attitudes."
Crystal, a relative newcomer to the Peace Ranch, is just 20 years old, but she already has years of hardship behind her as
she's come to terms with her illness. She moved to the Ranch in October 2003 and plans to stay for one or two years. So far,
so good: "I love it here. I sleep a lot better out here in the country. It's a peaceful place, with a good, safe feeling."
Crystal says that, because she's an only child, the Ranch is like family to her, and this family setting imparts useful skills
and opportunities.
A recent United Way Peel-sponsored program brought employees of a local company, VWR, to spend a few days volunteering at
the Ranch. The volunteers had a great time, bought plenty of the Ranch's excellent jams and jellies and want to stay in touch.
Exchanges like this benefit everyone: "Word of mouth is the best way to spread good news and helps to break down stigma,"
says Tripp-McKay.
What's in store at Peace Ranch? Staff are invested in growing the day program component by offering further activity opportunities
for consumers who can benefit from a day in the country. The 23-acre property has plenty of potential for development as a
site for winter activities such as winter hiking and skating. Volunteer and day program co-ordinator Sue Morling says that
the Ranch badly needs an outbuilding to house the day program and create office space for volunteers and other stakeholders.
She hopes to see such a project in the works sometime soon.
Ivan has lived at the Peace Ranch for five and a half years. He feels he's "come a long way" during that time, and credits
the garden, animals, organic farming and crafts, as well as the "support system" at the Ranch, for his better health. Crystal
talks of feeling content, now she's moved there - "and I hadn't experienced that for a while." Tripp-McKay sums things up:
"Nature does a lot of the work for us. We try to provide the nurture."
Abigail Pugh
Peace Ranch staff welcome inquiries about small-group day visits to the Ranch. Contact Eric Tripp-McKay at (905) 584-9156
ext. 23 or Sue Morling at (905) 584-9156 ext. 26.
Centre for Addiction
