title: 'No going back' to institutional care for people with severe disability: reflections on practice through an interpretive study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper evaluated quality of life for people with a disability with high health and high support needs following a move from a congregate care institution to community housing. The study explored residents' perceptions of the service, level of community involvement, lifestyle choices, and input into decision-making.
  
  
  METHODS
  An exploratory interpretative study was conducted using semi structured interviews with nine community house residents, ten community house staff and five family members.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants were clear they definitely would not go back to the institution, but the relocation experience was not without difficulties. These issues related to 'site', 'staff' & 'skills'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Direct support staff hold considerable power to increase or diminish residents' quality of life. A targeted programme addressing specific site, staff & skill issues would strengthen quality of life for these very dependent residents.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. s.borbasi@griffith.edu.au
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borbasi
authors.forename: Verity
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bottroff
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D040561:Assisted Living Facilities; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010351:Patient Discharge; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010360:Patient Transfer; D011788:Quality of Life