The Experiences of Long-Stay Inpatients Returning to the Community

Abstract

Interviewed 12 long-stay patients (aged 22-56 yrs) and their mental health providers regarding the patients' experiences of returning to the community from a state hospital. Participants were interviewed 6-9 mo postdischarge. All Ss portrayed life in the community as lonely and empty. Returning to the community was difficult in terms of increased clinical instability, risk of victimization, and difficulties meeting medical needs. However, all Ss expressed a strong preference for life in the community. Freedom to come and go as one pleases, protection from constant exposure to insult and assault, and a place to go for personal retreat were the primary reasons for wanting to be outside the hospital. Discussion focuses on the need for mental health policies and programs to address how to balance patients' needs for safety, structure, and a sense of belonging and identity with their desires for autonomy, privacy, and access to family and community. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)