Relocating people with intellectual disability to new accommodation and support settings

Abstract

Internationally the relocation of people with intellectual disability from institutions has brought significant gains to their quality of life. This study contrasted three groups of persons in Ireland who moved either to personalized arrangements (n = 29) or to community group homes (n = 31) with those who remained in congregated settings awaiting relocation (n = 29). Persons moving to rented accommodation with personalized support tended to be younger and had fewer support needs than those in group homes. They had greater control and choice in their lives, more community engagement and increased personal relationships compared to residents in group homes but those remaining in congregated settings fared worse of all. However, average staff costs were significantly higher in the latter settings. The implications for the future provision of group living arrangements are discussed along with the need for further longitudinal research to assess the sustained impact of personalized arrangements and their funding.

Conundrums of supported living: The experiences of people with intellectual disability

“…These findings reflect previous studies that have found greater choice and control, the hallmark of supported living in Australia (Stancliffe & Keane, 2000), Canada, (Stainton et al, 2011), the UK (Emerson et al, 2001;McConkey et al, 2016;Perry et al, 2012), and the US (Howe et al, 1998;Tichá et al, 2012). Unlike Emerson et al (2001), however, we found that most people participated in regular structured activities as well as community activities.…”

“…For example, in the US it is known as semi-independent living and refers to 1-4 people living together with dropin paid support from a disability support agency that does not extend to 24-hour support (Stancliffe & Keane, 2000), whereas in England, it can include provision of 24-hour support (Mansell, 2010). Supported living models are increasingly becoming an option in the US (Larson, Salmi, Smith, Anderson, & Hewitt, 2013), UK (Emerson et al, 2001;McConkey, Keogh, Bunting, Garcia Iriarte, & Watson, 2016;Perry, Firth, Puppa, Wilson, & Felce, 2012), and Australia (Stancliffe, 2002). The progressive introduction of individualised funding mechanisms in all Australian states through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) between 2016-2019 is widely expected to increase availability of supported living for existing service users in group homes and people on accommodation waiting lists (Productivity Commission, 2011).…”

The role of support staff as people move from congregated settings to group homes and personalized arrangements in Ireland

“…The variations in the roles of support across the three types of settings go some way to explain the differences between individualized living arrangements and community group homes found in this study (see McConkey et al, 2016) and which resonate with previous research (Duggan and Linehan, 2013). The placement of people in community group homes also poses the risk of perpetuating institutional practices where community engagement takes place through group activities and where choice by people with intellectual disabilities is only exercised to a certain extent and opportunities for developing social relationships are limited to housemates and family.…”

“…Congregated settings are defined here as campus accommodation of separate bungalows and houses on a shared site as well as hospital wards, and personalized living settings are defined as rented accommodation in ordinary houses or apartments with people either living alone or living with a partner of their choosing and receiving support from paid staff as needed (McConkey et al, 2016).…”

Our Homes: An inclusive study about what moving house is like for people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland

“…A person‐centred approach is linked to greater choice among people with intellectual disabilities (McConkey & Collins, ). When McConkey, Keogh, Bunting, Garcia Iriarte, and Flatman Watson () compared outcomes of people with intellectual disability who moved from congregated settings to group homes ( n = 31) with those who transitioned into homes using an individualised approach ( n = 29) in the Republic of Ireland, those who lived in personalised accommodation experienced greater choice and independence.…”