Life in the sanatorium

Patients spent long periods of time in the sanatorium, which led to the evolution of a variety of pastime activities. A deliberate effort was made to see patients enjoyed their stay in the hospital. Any entertainment programme depended to a large extent on the patients’ own initiative. Patients’ pastime activities included sewing clubs in which both the staff and the patients participated, the products of which were generally directed to charity. The sanatorium also had a library for patients with ever increasing number of volumes. In 1964 the patients’ library was assimilated into library of the municipality of Kangasala. In the 1960s the radio and TV programmes were regarded as proper forms of entertainment.

Annual reports disclose that spiritual health care provided by the sanatorium included prayer meetings, private visits to bed patients paid by an assistant vicar, social evenings with a programme arranged by the patients, concerts in which requests were played, as well as art and entertainment events, which were organised by clubs, associations and choirs. The sanatorium was also a home to the Pikonlinna Patients’ Association, the Sanatorium Institute and an elementary school.