Claudia Hamedinger and Martin Privec
Caritas invita employee Claudia Hamedinger and Martin Privec | Photo credit: Caritas
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Mental Health Day: Caritas invita provides support on the path to greater stability

Caritas, Mental Health Day, invita, assisted living, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)

To mark "Mental Health Day" on 10 October, Caritas is drawing attention to its "invita" service, which accompanies people with mental disabilities on their journey through life.

Fotocredit: Caritas
Fotocredit: Caritas

Claudia Hamedinger, an employee at invita, explains: "It is essential to pay close attention to what people need and how we can support them individually."

One example of this is Martin P. (30), who suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and has made significant progress thanks to the support provided by invita in Wels. In summer 2017, the Friedburg native fell ill with CFS following an infection. Typical symptoms such as extreme exhaustion, dizziness and nausea accompanied him. "Every attempt to get fitter through sport only made my condition worse. The will was there, but the body couldn't do it. It was incredibly frustrating," recalls Martin, who used to be a keen footballer. His condition got progressively worse until he could barely get out of bed.

"In the end, I only managed to use the wheelchair to go to the toilet once a day. The rest of the time I lay in the dark because I couldn't bear light or noise," he continues.

A neurologist in Braunau finally diagnosed CFS, and in 2018 Martin moved into invita's intensive assisted living facility in Linz as a care case. This was the invita team's first encounter with this complex illness. However, as with every resident, the care was customised. "We always work without pressure and at the pace set by the person in question. Our aim is to create a stable, safe environment in which development is possible," emphasises Hamedinger. So the first step was to open Martin's bedroom door a crack to let in some light and noise. In collaboration with a CFS specialist from Vienna, Dr Michael Stingl, a drug treatment was finally found that helped Martin.

Thanks to the careful care he received, Martin Privec gradually made progress. He learnt to walk again, was able to shower sitting up and gradually began to take part in everyday life. He recently moved into the partially assisted invita residential community in Wels - another milestone on the road to greater independence.

"I can now walk three to four kilometres and am currently looking for a part-time job," Martin reports proudly.

The causes of CFS are still unknown and he is hoping for more research in this area.

Most people cared for by invita are making progress, but Hamedinger emphasises that complete independence is rare. "For many of our residents, it's all about gaining mental stability and finding a home with us," she says. These people have often already been through many institutions or experienced traumatic events. Mental impairment can be triggered by numerous factors, as she explains: "An accident or an illness can cause life to suddenly fall completely apart at the seams. It can happen to any of us."

Caritas invita offers assisted living, mobile support and employment programmes for people with mental disabilities at various locations in Upper Austria. Around 400 people are cared for at over 15 locations, including Wels, Linz and Gmunden. New facilities are currently being built in Ried/Innkreis, Sierning and Wels-Land.

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