Home Treatment

Abstract

Background: Deinstitutionalisation has stressed where care is no longer taking place. Home treatment in rehabilitation reflects the steady increase in emphasis on support and treatment for individuals with long-term disorders where it matters for them - in their own homes. Materials and Discussion: Whether dealing with individuals discharged after long periods in hospital or with the increasing number who have experienced repeated short-term admissions, most modern day rehabilitation takes place in the patients' homes and neighbourhoods. We are increasingly convinced that this decentralisa tion is a positive strength, not a problem. Its advantages include improving social inclusion and the ability to conduct more accurate, personalised assessments of disabilities and strengths. Skills training is more focused and we discuss the components of home treatment and assertive community treatment as they are relevant to rehabilitation. This involves both medication and practical help, broker age and involvement with the voluntary sector. Conclusions: Rehabilitation remains, at its core, a set of relationships between whole individuals (not just skills and needs). A home-based approach is proposed as the norm, not the exception. It is based on a rounded understanding of the patient as a unique person and emphasises the importance of a strong working alliance.