RESIDENTIAL CARE

Residence is a very ambitious resource, since there are various factors to be taken into account for housing people in terms of their psychopathology, learning records, levels of social handicaps, motivation, rehabilitation integration goals, habits, time of stay, etc. Furthermore the technical, personal, cultural and ideological differences of each of the professionals introduce different values and criteria when designing and implementing specific interventions with the residents.

The Residence would obviously not be the home of those living in it. This is a well-known fact, specially for the residents. Making homes out of the Residencies for the users is also not one of the objectives. The model that helps to best organize these facilities and discover the keys to making them work to the ends of improving the psychosocial functions of the user is seeing this resource is not like others (family residencies from where they come, hospitals, hotels, hostels,...), but rather houses or homes shared with others who also suffer from severe mental disorders.

But, which are the functions a house or home must fulfill? How have the reference homes stopped being functional for people with severe mental disorders coming from the Residence? What is it that makes a house different from a pension, a hotel, or from a hospital? The house should basically let each person feel safe in every conceivable way. And the extent to which the residents feel safe in the Residencies will determine the level to which their function as psychosocial ans social support is fulfilled.

In fact, the Residence must not only be a place where user rights to privacy and individuality or difference from the rest of residents are respected, but it also must make users feel personally valued and appreciated at an emotional level. They must feel valued as a result of the tasks that they perform as professionals and users recognize and value their worth. Furthermore it is essential that they are understood whenever they have difficulties performing tasks they've been assigned to do. They must know that regardless of their mistakes, theirunacceptable behavior, and its effects on the process of normalization, they will have professional support in order to correct their behavior in ways other than that of mere punishment. Last; regarding the norms at the Residencies, restricting to a good level of conducts and proper control over the environment of the residence will give a sense of safety, relaxation and comfort feeling as if people were home.

FUNDACIÓN MANANTIAL Arroyo del Santo Avenue, 12, 28042 MADRID | Phone: (+0034) 91.371.72.12

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