“The Academy for living skills”
Translating research into recovery oriented interventions for
residents with severe mental illness (SMI).
Charlotte de Heer Principal Investigator c.de.heer@pl.hanze.nl Sandra Vos Researcher s.vos@pl.hanze.nl
Ingrid van der Zee
Researcher
i.van.der.zee@pl.hanze.nl
Introduction
Due to mental health care budget cuts, a large group of residents with SMI have to move towards an independent living situation. However, these people are vulnerable and
experience limited social inclusion. Therefore, the feasibility of deinstitutionalization, and the nature of the needed support to achieve this, is questioned.
Currently, a study is conducted to provide insight into the feasibility and effectiveness of this deinstitutionalization process and to translate these insights into interventions to improve residential support towards independent living.
Supported Housing
Independent Living
Conclusion and Intervention
Conclusion
Efforts are being made to provide recovery oriented care, but it seems that this is not yet readily available to service users. Key workers express their need for tools and skills to integrate recovery oriented care in daily practice.
Intervention “The Academy for living skills”
The intervention “Academy for living skills” provides recovery oriented evidence based tools to service users as well as key workers, to methodically work towards self-sustainability and independent living.
Pathway
→ The path is defined at the start: 1.5 years
→ Exploration phase: 2 months
→ Learning phase: 8 to 9 months
→ Transition phase: 6 to 7 months
To safeguard recovery oriented care
→ Rehabilitation-Expert
Provides methodological support to the key worker and guides the planned rehabilitation path.
→ Expert-by-experience
Supports the personal recovery of the service user and coaches the group worker and the key worker.
Methods
Quantitative study
→ 142 service users → 130 key workers
→ 6 Regional Institutes for Residential Care → Interviews and written questionnaires about;
social inclusion, quality of life, recovery, needs for care and self-sustainability
Qualitative study
→ 6 key workers → 4 managers → Interviews about;
their views on and experiences with deinstitutionalization
Results
→Service users experience self-sustainability deficits in daily
living skills, daytime activities, administration, coping with stigma, social contacts and resilience.
→Key workers are even more likely than service users to report
a self-sustainability deficit in certain areas.
→ There is a need for better alignment between service users and key workers about self-sustainability, to be able to
effectively work towards independent living.
→ Managers and key workers express the need for training and developing key workers’ professional skills in integrating recovery oriented care in daily practice.
