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Housing Services (housing + services)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences87%

Selected Abstracts

Quality of Life Outcomes for People with Intellectual Disabilities Living in Staffed Community Housing Services: a Stratified Random Sample of Statutory, Voluntary and Private Agency Provision

JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 1 2003
Jonathan Perry
Background, Small scale, community-based, staffed housing is a significant form of residential provision for people with intellectual disabilities. Such services are provided by health and local authorities, and voluntary and private agencies, yet little is known about how provision varies between provider sectors. Methods, This study compared sectors in terms of the processes operating within residential services, and objectively and subjectively assessed quality of life (QOL) resident outcomes. Measures of setting structure and processes and resident outcomes were undertaken on a stratified random sample of 47 small scale, community-based residential settings which accommodated a total of 154 people with intellectual disabilities. Results, In general, provider agencies did not differ in terms of the characteristics of the residents they served, the structure of settings, the processes underlying service operation or resident outcomes. However, across agencies there was considerable variation in residents' life conditions when they were measured objectively. Better outcome tended to be significantly correlated with the ability of residents. This was not the case with results on subjective measures (which were also higher than those on objective measures). Conclusions, The results reinforce the need to design services which effectively support people across the ability spectrum. Also, an argument is made for the continued utility of objective measurement in the assessment of service quality. [source]

Staff Activity in Supported Housing Services

JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 4 2002
David Felce
Background Variation in staff performance between small community housing services indicates the need for research on the factors which predict high-quality care. Methods The associations between service sector, staffing levels, staff characteristics, internal organization or working practices, non-institutional milieu, and staff activity and the nature and extent of staff attention to residents were explored in a study of 10 statutory, 10 voluntary and nine private sector community housing schemes. Results There were few significant differences between sectors after differences in resident abilities were taken into account. Higher staff to resident ratios predicted greater resident receipt of attention and assistance but also a lower proportion of time during which each member of staff was directly concerned with residents. A greater range in resident ability predicted lower resident receipt of attention and assistance. A higher proportion of qualified staff was not shown to be a positive attribute but greater prior experience was associated with staff spending more time directly concerned with residents, less time doing ,other' activity and residents receiving more assistance. Measures of the internal organization and non-institutional milieu of the settings were not strongly related to staff activity. Conclusions The findings are consistent with previous research that there are diminishing marginal returns associated with increasing staff. Size of residence was unimportant. Links between service organization and staff performance require further research but retaining experienced staff appears to be important. As resident receipt of attention and assistance was unrelated to their adaptive behaviour level, there is a need to find ways to ensure that staff support matches the needs of residents better. [source]

Association between the Provision Characteristics and Operation of Supported Housing Services and Resident Outcomes

JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 4 2002
David Felce
[source]

The health, social care and housing needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older people: a review of the literature

HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 6 2009
Samia Addis MSc
Abstract This paper reports the findings of a literature review of the health, social care and housing needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults undertaken in 2006 for the Welsh Assembly Government. Peer-reviewed literature was identified through database searches of BNI, PubMed, CINAHL, DARE, ASSIA and PsychInfo. Follow-up searches were conducted using references to key papers and journals as well as specific authors who had published key papers. A total of 187 papers or chapters were retrieved, of which 66 were included in the study; major themes were identified and the findings synthesised using a meta-narrative approach. The main themes that emerged from the review were isolation, health behaviours, mental health and sexual health behaviours. The literature indicates that the health, social care and housing needs of LGBT older people is influenced by a number of forms of discrimination which may impact upon the provision of, access to and take up of health, social care and housing services. Understanding of the health, social care and housing needs of older LGBT people is limited and research in this area is scarce. The research which exists has been criticised for using small samples and for tending to exclude participants from less affluent backgrounds. The focus of research tends to be on gay men and lesbians; consequently, the needs of bisexual and transgender people remain largely unknown. Additionally, research which does exist tends to focus on a narrow range of health issues, often related to the health needs of younger LGBT people. Discrimination in various forms has a major impact on needs and experiences, leading to marginalisation of LGBT people both in the provision of health and social care services and neglect of these groups in public health research. [source]

Characteristics of staffed community housing services for people with learning disabilities: a stratified random sample of statutory, voluntary and private agency provision

HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 5 2000
Jonathan Perry BSc MSc
Abstract Within the staffed housing model relatively little is known about the characteristics of different types of provider agency. Data on size, homeliness and physical integration of settings, organisational culture, working methods, staffing levels and resident characteristics, were collected on a stratified random sample of provision in South-West England and Wales. Provider agencies did not differ significantly on three of the four variables relating to residents' characteristics. Nor did they differ in terms of the homeliness or physical integration of settings. However, there were significant differences between providers on the important variables of working methods and staffing levels. Resident ability correlated with staffing levels and organisational culture, but not with staff working methods. The results and their implications are discussed in the context of other research which has used the same measures. [source]

Staff Activity in Supported Housing Services

JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 4 2002
David Felce
Background Variation in staff performance between small community housing services indicates the need for research on the factors which predict high-quality care. Methods The associations between service sector, staffing levels, staff characteristics, internal organization or working practices, non-institutional milieu, and staff activity and the nature and extent of staff attention to residents were explored in a study of 10 statutory, 10 voluntary and nine private sector community housing schemes. Results There were few significant differences between sectors after differences in resident abilities were taken into account. Higher staff to resident ratios predicted greater resident receipt of attention and assistance but also a lower proportion of time during which each member of staff was directly concerned with residents. A greater range in resident ability predicted lower resident receipt of attention and assistance. A higher proportion of qualified staff was not shown to be a positive attribute but greater prior experience was associated with staff spending more time directly concerned with residents, less time doing ,other' activity and residents receiving more assistance. Measures of the internal organization and non-institutional milieu of the settings were not strongly related to staff activity. Conclusions The findings are consistent with previous research that there are diminishing marginal returns associated with increasing staff. Size of residence was unimportant. Links between service organization and staff performance require further research but retaining experienced staff appears to be important. As resident receipt of attention and assistance was unrelated to their adaptive behaviour level, there is a need to find ways to ensure that staff support matches the needs of residents better. [source]

Need for Medical and Psychosocial Services Among Injection Drug Users: A Comparative Study of Needle Exchange and Methadone Maintenance

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL ON ADDICTIONS, Issue 4 2002
Michael D. Stein M.D.
This study compares the prevalence of perceived and unmet needs of HIV-negative injection drug users (IDUs) not receiving drug treatment (n = 251) and those recruited from a methadone maintenance program (n = 312) in 1998. We studied self-reported needs for six community services: medical, mental health, housing, income assistance, alcohol treatment, and drug treatment. Respondents reported the highest levels of need for mental health and housing services. Ninety-four percent of out-of-treatment IDUs reported having at least one need compared to 62% of methadone clients (p < .001). Across all reported service needs, at least 69% of respondents in both cohorts reported their needs were unmet. While HIV-infected drug users receive assistance through the Ryan White CARE Act, these findings suggest that seronegative drug users may benefit from similar community service programs. [source]

Everybody needs good neighbours: an evaluation of an intensive project for families facing eviction

CHILD & FAMILY SOCIAL WORK, Issue 2 2002
Malcolm Hill
ABSTRACT This paper presents details of a largely qualitative evaluation of an intensive multi-method Project, with a residential component, which aims to help families facing eviction to overcome their housing-related difficulties. The families served by the Project had a host of other problems related to parenting, with child care and protection issues, addictions and mental health difficulties figuring prominently. Just over half the referrals came from the local authority housing services, with nearly all the remainder coming from the social work department. The majority of families made good progress, but in some cases it proved harder to have an impact on parenting than on tenancy-related matters. Nevertheless, the Project was deemed to have helped some families stay together or be reunited, resulting in substantial financial savings for social work services. Crucial ingredients were good management, stable staff, shared ,ownership' by other agencies, a repertoire of challenging methods, and a holistic approach. [source]