Building life around foster home versus moving on: The competing needs of people living in foster homes.

Abstract

Amid the current shift toward more autonomous housing for mental health consumers, people living in psychiatric foster homes in Montreal, Canada articulated complex concerns over what type of housing would best meet their present and future needs. Semi structured interviews were conducted with 33 residents. Consumers describe the tensions associated with foster home life. Two overall competing needs emerged: the need to build their lives around the foster home and the need to build life beyond the foster home. Residents describe their need for security and support versus their need for greater personal autonomy, the dilemmas associated with communal living, and their struggle to envisage a positive future. Housing arrangements, as well as the relationships and patterns of support that develop there, are critically important for residents. Mental health professionals mandated to dismantle foster homes for more autonomous housing need to take this reality into account.

Service user experiences of specialist mental health supported accommodation: A systematic review of qualitative studies and narrative synthesis

“…The expected length of stay and emphasis on “move‐on” within a service had significant impact on individuals’ recovery (Browne et al., ; Bryant, Craik, & Mckay, ; Chesters et al., ; Chopra & Herrman, ; Dorvil, Morin, Beaulieu, & Robert, ; Goering, Sylph, Foster, Boyles, & Babiak, ; Henwood, Derejko, Couture, & Padgett, ; Kirkpatrick & Byrne, ; Kowlessar & Corbett, ; Newton, Rosen, Tennant, & Hobbs, ; Piat, Ricard, Sabetti, & Beauvais, ; Rønning & Bjørkly, ). In permanent housing, “move‐on” was experienced as gaining independence, accessing resources, learning new skills and achieving goals (Kirkpatrick & Byrne, ), whereas in time‐limited accommodation, “move‐on” also meant the physical process of moving to more independent accommodation and was associated with disruption and upheaval (Browne et al., ; Henwood et al., ; Piat et al., ), stress (Goering et al., ), uncertainty (Chopra & Herrman, ) and the experience of loss (Newton et al., ).…”

“…Conflicts arising between residents were stressful, but could also serve as important learning experiences, facilitating the development of social skills, the ability to adapt and to experience mutuality (Lindström et al., ). The pros and cons of communal settings were described in terms of a tension between interactions that could be demanding, but also meaningful and rewarding (Goering et al., ; Lindström et al., ; Piat et al., ). At times, mental health problems and fatigue experienced by service users impacted negatively on their ability to relate to others, and to deal with their own reactions (Pejlert et al., ) and with the problems and behaviours of those who were more seriously ill (Goering et al., ; Jervis, ; Petersen et al., ; Piat et al., ; Roos et al., ).…”

“…Service users described a range of relationships with other service users, from friendships, both casual and intense (Bengtsson-Tops et al, 2014;Brolin et al, 2016;Carpenter-Song et al, 2012;Goering et al, 1992;Jervis, 2002;Kowlessar & Corbett, 2009;Nelson et al, 1997;Petersen et al, 2012;Piat et al, 2008), to conflictual relationships, ranging from minor fractions to prolonged, serious conflicts (Jervis, 2002;Kowlessar & Corbett, 2009;Lindström et al, 2011;McCrea & Spravka, 2008;Nelson et al, 1997;Pejlert et al, 1999;Piat et al, 2008;Pyke & Lowe, 1996;Roos et al, 2016). Many service users reported that their whole social network comprised other residents (Cleary et al, 1998;Roos et al, 2016).…”

“…Many service users reported that their whole social network comprised other residents (Cleary et al, 1998;Roos et al, 2016). Being able to interact with people with similar experiences also provided a sense of support, comfort and acceptance, and was felt to be difficult to achieve in more independent settings (Granerud & Severinsson, 2003;Nelson et al, 1997;Piat et al, 2008;Roos et al, 2016). Service users also stressed the importance of having someone to talk to who had had similar problems, broadening their perspectives on their problems through interactions with other service users, and how these interactions sometimes increased their awareness of their mental health (Carpenter-Song et al, 2012;Kirsh et al, 2009;Lindström et al, 2011;McCrea & Spravka, 2008).…”

Les conditions d'hébergement favorables au rétablissement : perspective des usagers et usagères

“…D'autres caractéristiques spécifiques de l'hébergement affectent la qualité de vie des résidentes et résidents, par exemple, les services de base et la nourriture (Owen et al, 1996 ;Wilton, 2003), l'espace, les appareils ménagers et l'ameublement (Nelson et al, 2003), le téléphone et la télévision (Piat, Ricard, Sabetti et Beauvais, 2008) et le quartier (Mares, Desai et Rosenheck, 2005 ;Mares, Young, McGuire et Rosenheck, 2002 ;Wong et Stanhope, 2009). Les usagers et usagères font preuve de compétence et de jugement dans la considération des coûts et des bénéfices de différents types d'hébergement .…”