L’Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec – Recreational Therapy

Page 3 of 12
In 1893, the Sisters of Charity of Quebec signed a contract with the Quebec government to care for and maintain the patients in the Asile des Aliénés de Québec, which was later to become the Hôpital Saint-Michel-Archange. (B1) They immediately started on landscaping the grounds, creating parks and gardens around the buildings to make the patients’ stay more pleasant. They also began to use recreational therapy. More than once a month, the sisters organized musical evenings for the patients. In summer, they had a great many picnics. (B2) Later, other activities were increasingly introduced for treatment of patients: checkers, reading, music, dancing, and so on. (B3) Dancing was seen by doctors as very therapeutic, because it channelled the patients’ excitement, somaticization and touching and consequently helped them to recover their strength and make up their need for sleep.1 There was even a band formed in 1900, (B5) which the patients enjoyed very much. Dances were also organized for patients and employees, with more than 200 attending each month. Holidays were greatly anticipated – Christmas, when patients received a small gift, New Year’s Eve, Saint Catherine’s Day, Mid-Lent, maple sugar season, birthdays, etc. (B6-B8) A pilgrimage to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré was provided every year by the Québec-Montmorency-Charlevoix railway company.2 (B9) This kind of therapy was successful because it interrupted the monotony of most of life for confined patients. (B10) Many of them enjoyed complete freedom on the grounds, which helped them take responsibility for themselves. In 1937, the first radio station was inaugurated at the hospital. News and music were broadcast, along with religious services and prayers. Patients were both entertained and kept informed of what was happening in the hospital. (B12-B13)

1. Normand Séguin. op. cit., p. 4

2. Hubert A. Wallot. op. cit., p. 105.