Life of people with psychosocial disabilities in supported housing

Abstract

In Hungary, the deinstitutionalization of long-term in-patient psychiatric care facilities has begun. Parallel to this process, new forms of community-based mental health services are provided, as, for example, supported housing. This research explores four people’s experiences of moving from long-term in-patient care to a supported housing environment – in the context of their life stories. My aim was to give the service users voice and explore what the change of environment means to them personally. Will it promote their recovery? How is the change represented in their narratives? What do the new living conditions mean to them? I interviewed four people with psychosocial disability and then analysed the results using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). This qualitative method focuses on how people make sense of their experiences. The results show that supported housing offers a more personalised living space where residents have more responsibilities, opportunities and personal agency.. The recovery model has not become anintegral part of the institutional culture yet, but signs of the slow change are present in the narratives.