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WHITBYFREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28,1987, PAGE 11 First in Whitby Home for ex-patients receives licence By SANDRA BARRIAULT It is 'home' for 41 resi- dents, most of them former patients of Whitby Psychiatric Hospital and most of them under medication. On occasion, it is lodging for battered wives and their children and other emergency cases.' A common-law couple occupy one room. Pugsley Manor Ltd., at 425 Dundas St. E., just, east of the Four Corners of Whitby, is the first boarding and lodging home to be liçensed in Whitby. With the provincial gover- nment's shift toward deinstitutionalization of people in need of psychiatric care, the manor and other lodging homes like it provide needed and af- fordable accom- modation. "We certainly went through an awful lot to get that licence," says manor owner Bob Parkinson, noting that some nearby residents "twere under weird and wonderful illusions" about the home when it first opened in May 1985, to the extent that people would ask "Is it safe to walk by Pugsley Manor?" Town of Whitby zoning, which specifies property usage, now en- sures that lodging homes are situated on major arterial routes, convenient to buses and shopping. Town licen- sing also requires adequate standards. "The Town really in- spected our operation. But I think that's good," says Parkinson. The licensing regulation, which came into effect shortly after Pugsley Manor opehed, limits to 10 the number of residents in future lodging houses to âvoid. the creation of "mini- institutions" and to reduce the impact on neighboring properties. Pugsley Manor, the first and only to be licensed thus far in Whitby, will remain-the largest. Captain Doug Butt of the Salvation Army says the manor provides needed emergency housing. "On occasion last year they gave a family two rooms and on another they put up a hitchiker the OPP picked up at night on the 401 - it was winter," says Butt. The lounge couch in the manor is of- ten the emergency bed since the home is usually full to capacity. Referrals to Pugsley Manor are made by Oshawa General Hospital, Scarborough General Hospital, the Association for Developmentally Han- dlicapped of Oshawa & District (ADHOD) as well as Whitby Psychiatric Hospital and the Salvation Army. Some referrals will remain at the home for the rest of their lives. Others will leave Pugsley's paternalistic environment and at- tempt to live on their own. ' Most will return unable to cope. For the few who do "make it on their own," Bob and wife Bonnie Parkinson continue to visit and of- fer support and en- couragement. The Parkinsons have been in this unique kind of boarding and lodging business for 12 years, owning two other homes previous to the manor. Although neither has any formal training in psychiatry, Bob Parkin- son grew up in the original Pugsley Manor, owned and operated by his . mother, Mildred Pugsley, in Colborne. The years of practical experience he brings to the manor help him deal with the numerous problems which arise. Many of the home's residents have physical as well as mental han- dicaps such as seizures, diabetes and epilepsy. The manor is visited weekly by a house doc- tor, Dr. Jaciw and by social workers. .When necessary, Dr. Jaciw certifies residents for re-admission to Whitby PsychiatricHospital. The VON, states Parkinson, also deserve special mention. "Bonnie Barry and Brigette Coolsey give the residents their injec- tables, arrange for their winter clothing allot- ments, even take residents out for cof- fee," he says. Other visitors include probation officers, a psychiatrist from Whit- by Psychiatric Hospital and, until recently, a volunteer group called COTA. The group con- ducted a social program of crafts, games and holiday get-togethers until funding ran out. Supervision of residents is provided 24 hours a day by six full- timé~and two part-time staff. Rooms are checked hourly. Before curfew, residents are free to come and go as they please. Some boarders have jobs with Durham Region, the Brock Stop store, Whitby Psychiatric Hospital and Whitby Free Press. "Pugsley Manor is their home," says Parkinson. "We strive to make things home- like, not an institutional setting. We make sure the residents are neyer out of money or tobacco. We help them move when they're ready." House rules include no drinking or drugs on the premises, an il p.m. curfew on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends. "Many lodgers are on medication so they can- not drink," Parkinson states. "Staff go looking for a resident who is ah- known of a resident's background. Privacy of patient information is protected under law. The manor provides three meals a day and refreshments. The menus are posted and preparation of the food is regulated by the provincial Cafeteria Act. Prescription drugs, kept under lock, are administered by Pugsley Manor staff. When requested, manor staff look after money for roomers. "A boarder will get his welfare cheque and within a few days, it's gone," Parkinsons says. "If a cheque arrives early, say the 26th of the month, but is dated for the 31st, a store will discount the cheque. The boarders do'n't care that they get less, just so long as they have it right away. The same happens with income tax refunds." , The only revenue the Parkinsons receive is rent from roomers, ranging from $252 to Patients in recreation room at manor ... ... ... ... ... - -» *. ~ *k'C Pusley Manor Owner Bob Parkinson with town licence sent at curfew." Little is $369 a month. Money management is not the only problem roomers have although it is one of the primary reasons residents are unable to live indepen- dently. "Sometimes a guy doesn't bathe, uses profanity, eats with his hands," says Parkin- son. "We try to teach them what is expected of them in society. If we can't, he's got to leave." Residents who create problems or cause discomfort for other roomers i institutionali cannot adjus Parkinson second-hand well as f rooming h Oshawa. Th homes each residents and one has two. Most of the residen- ts are also former patients of Whitby PsychiatricHospital. Parkinson's sister also operatesa home for four residents on Byron St. N. His niece and nephew operate a home with five residents on Mary St. while his sister-in-law formerly had 17 residents in a home on Byron St. S., before selling to Michael Adams. Another family mei- ber, Parkinson's brother, runs a "special care" home in Oshawa, little different from the other homes except the province provides fun- ds. Because Pugsley Manor is the largest boarding and lodging home in Whitby, it acts as a drawing card - for residents of other boar- ding homes in the area. In the manor's fur- nished lounge, residents entertain tiêir friends over a game of pool, a television show or videocassette film, or a meal in the dining room. Abuses do occur. "We won't let anyone go hungry, but it I see the same guy showing up day after day at meal time, I have to put a stop to it.", Parkinson con- cedes. "But we like the residents to feel that their friends are welcome in their home." has been mixed. Generally speaking. the further a person lives are re- from the manor. the zed if they more likely they are to t. be supportive. The accusation has operates a been made that 'Whitby store as Psychiatric Hospital our other didn't èlose Cottage 'ouses in Number 25. They just ree of the relocated it to 425 Dun- ihave fve das Street East.- Parkinson says. Frank McNulty, head of psychiatry at Whitby Psychiatric Hospital, indicated surprise at this statement. à "We work towards making people gain more independent lifestyles," he says. Parkinson says he has had great support from the psychiatric hospital. Police have also been cooperative. Last week a female resident from the manor was taken to Whitby General Hospital after receiving cuts from a fight in the downtown area. She was later returned to the manor. While some neighbors donate clothing and fur- niture, others demand that the sideyard be fenced off so the residents cannot be seen from the street. The Province of On- tario continues to man- date -reintegration of psychiatric patients into the community - the tearing down of fences between the mentally handicapped and the rest of society. One neighbor who wished to remain anonymous said: "Great concept, but does it have to be on my street?" Unless the provincial government suddenly changes- its shift, an unlikly step, the demand for accessible housing will continue to increase, particularly in Durham Region because of the presence of Whitby Psychiatric Hospital. Smaller private boar- ding and lodging homes will spring up where zoning permits. Whitby residents can put up fences or tear them down. But tdtimately they will have to look in behind them.