Abstract

MONIZ, Maria João Pereira Vargas; COSTA, Duarte Nuno Ornelas Bruges da  and  ORNELAS, José Henrique Pinheiro. Deinstitutionalization of seniors with mental illness: The implementation of a model of transition and integration in the community. Revista Portuguesa de Enfermagem de Saúde Mental [online]. 2013, n.10, pp.8-13. ISSN 1647-2160.

On the deinstitutionalization of people with mental illness from psychiatric institutions to the community, we find relevant contributions from the beginning of the twentieth century, but it continues to generate interest and a contemporary challenge, considering the complexity and multidimensionality of integration in a community context. In this paper, we describe the process of transition to the community of 24 seniors with mental illness, with an average age of 71 years, 13 men and 11 women in the original group and with an average 40 years of psychiatric institutionalization. This initiative enabled the closure of the Hospital Miguel Bombard, and describes the various stages and activities of the transition process: a) in the hospital b) the transition c) phasing in new housing and community context. To document the journey a formative model has been built with independent variables (demographics / economic status and legal / hospital / mental health / co morbidity) and dependent variables (daily functioning, social supports, community participation and perceived health status). The data were structured from the qualitative and descriptive analysis of individual and group travel in T0 (transition), T1 (1 year) and T2 (2 years) of deinstitutionalization, emphasizing the perspective of the participants, their families and professionals and systematic consultation of the records of daily operation of community residence. The results show a gradual, continuous and meaningful involvement with personal care, participation in activities within housing and sporadic or regular activities in the community.

Keywords : Deinstitutionalization; Integration-Community; Mental Health.

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