Finding a suitable home for your relative
The choice of suitable accommodation will be guided first by the wishes of your relative and should take into account their health, social care needs and financial circumstances.
The question of where your relative is to live should be discussed with the treatment team prior to their discharge from hospital, or when their care plan is being drawn up. Other informal carers can often be a useful source of information about the good and bad points about different types of accomodation options. See the section on Housing & mental illness for more detailed information.There are many different factors which need to be taken into consideration when looking at housing - unsuitable accomodation can cause much stress to people who may already be in a delicate state of health. For example someone with suicidal thoughts should not be housed in a tower block, and there is very little point arranging suitable accomodation if the financial arrangements have not been put in place to ensure that the rent and other costs are paid regularly and on time.
If your relative is socially withdrawn and unable to structure their day, they benefit from living in group home types of accomodation such as supported housing. Other people may feel most comforatble living with family members such as through staying, or returning to live with their parents or a sibling.
Planning ahead
It is important to remember that your relatives housing needs may change over the years.
This may be because their condition may progress until to a stage where they are able to live independently, or where they may have a relpase or deteriorate and so need higher levels of support.
Your cirumstances may also change, possibly leading to where it is no longer possible for your relative to continue to live with you - one of the more common reasons for this is where the informal carers own health begins to deteriorate
As supported and council housing are in high demand and in short supply, it can be wise to ensure that you find out about any new sheletered / supportive housing being built in your area and put your relatives name on the waiting list - even when thier present housing situation may be satisfactory, this is effectively insurance for the future.
This may be because their condition may progress until to a stage where they are able to live independently, or where they may have a relpase or deteriorate and so need higher levels of support.
Your cirumstances may also change, possibly leading to where it is no longer possible for your relative to continue to live with you - one of the more common reasons for this is where the informal carers own health begins to deteriorate
As supported and council housing are in high demand and in short supply, it can be wise to ensure that you find out about any new sheletered / supportive housing being built in your area and put your relatives name on the waiting list - even when thier present housing situation may be satisfactory, this is effectively insurance for the future.
