Navigating in a Misty Landscape – Perceptions of Supporting a Relative Residing in Supported Housing for People with a Psychiatric Disability

Abstract

The aim was to explore informal carers' perceptions of supporting the everyday life of a relative who has a psychiatric disability and resides in supported housing (SH). A qualitative study based on interviews with 12 informal carers was performed, and the data was analyzed with qualitative content analysis. The theme "Navigating in a misty landscape when striving to support a relative with a psychiatric disability" was identified, encompassing four categories pertaining to residents' needs, collaboration, environmental issues and the carer's situation. SH services can be enhanced by addressing informal carers' experiences and developing greater collaboration involving informal carers, residents and staff.

Resident and staff perceptions of an activity- and recovery-based intervention in supported housing for people with severe mental illness – a longitudinal pilot study

“…Since meaningful activity has been found to be consistently associated with better well-being and quality of life among people with mental illness [8][9][10] and to enhance personal recovery [11], the findings of few and predominantly quiet activities in the SH context [3,4,12] prompted the development and evaluation of the AiMH intervention [7,13]. The present longitudinal pilot study continues the reporting from the AiMH project.…”

“…People with severe mental illness who reside in supported housing (SH) tend to have unmet needs concerning social relations and daily activities [1,2]. They are at risk of an everyday life with little meaning and activity within the SH premises and little participation in the community, as evidenced by both SH residents [3] and their informal carers [4]. However, differences in staff location, level of support, degree of stress on moving on, and type of physical setting create an abundance in types of SH settings, as acknowledged by McPherson and colleagues when categorizing SH units [5].…”

“…Residents in this type of high-support settings have reported about lack of friendship but forced togetherness, and few opportunities for selfchosen activities [3]. Informal carers described that their dear ones residing in SH needed continuous support, including transports, to uphold a hobby or an interest [4].…”