Chronically mentally ill individuals re‐entering the community after hospitalization

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to increase the understanding of the experiences of chronically mentally ill individuals who are re-entering the community after hospitalization. Ten individuals from an acute care psychiatric hospital who had had two or more admissions within a 12-month period were interviewed, shortly before discharge and subsequently between two and four times while in the community. Three interrelated themes emerged. First, at the time of discharge, the optimism of the participants about returning home was tempered by a realistic recognition of their problems. As time passed, their problems seemed to become their preoccupying focus and optimism faded. Second, for most of the participants, relationships with others, positive, negative or both, played an important role in their return to home and community. Third, participants who experienced more positive social relationships also described individual achievements and community involvement. The re-entry process was not a smooth transition for these individuals.

Chronic mentally ill individuals reentering the community after hospitalization. Phase II: the urban experience

“…The first phase involved the reentry of patients into a small community in northern Ontario. Those findings have been presented elsewhere ( Montgomery & Johnson 1998). Phase II continued the investigation by examining the reentry of chronic mentally ill patients into a large urban community after hospitalization.…”

“…Three themes emerged from the data, related, respectively, to the hospital and its environs remaining a focus of the participants’ lives, the added burden of social and financial conditions, and the presence of goals which nevertheless had barriers to their achievement. Contrasts are drawn with the findings of Phase I ( Montgomery & Johnson 1998), in which there was found a much stronger sense of discharge marking a new beginning. The findings add to our knowledge about what it is like for chronic mentally ill individuals to live outside hospital, but also raise questions about the influence of particular diagnoses, community characteristics and changes in adjustment over time.…”

The role of community mental health nurses caring for people with schizophrenia in Taiwan: a substantive grounded theory

“…2001). Therefore, although contemporary mental health care encourages community care for people with mental illness, the community care services are not yet fully prepared to meet the needs of these clients (CL) (Montgomery & Johnson 1998).…”

“…Several researchers have pointed out that community mental health teams in general and CMHNs in particular have been criticised for failing to meet the requirement of the quality of community mental health services (Merinder et al 1999, Barr et al 2001. Therefore, although contemporary mental health care encourages community care for people with mental illness, the community care services are not yet fully prepared to meet the needs of these clients (CL) (Montgomery & Johnson 1998).…”

Barriers to Community Integration for Participants in Community-Based Psychiatric Rehabilitation

“…Initially, following hospital discharge, individuals with SMI reported positive expectations of community life. However, their views moderated over time as negative, albeit more realistic expectations resulting from an increased awareness of the severity and impact of their problems emerged (Montgomery & Johnson, 1998). Being able to engage in interpersonal relationships and participate in activities are essential to community integration.…”