The closure of Nastola care home: A longitudinal study on deinstitutionalisation

Abstract

The Nastola Care Home, an institution housing 95 people with intellectual disability, was closed in 1989, with residents moving out into small community group homes of five people each. An intensive process of reorganization, including unitisation and staff training, occurred within the institution before its closure. The adaptive behaviour of 66 residents was measured a total of seven times, with the first phase beginning two and half years before the move, and the second phase extending to two years after the move. The results indicated an increase in adaptive skills of the residents in both phases. Challenging behaviour of the residents decreased before the move, but not afterwards. Community participation and family contacts with the residents increased after the move. With regard to daily care practices, there was a major change from institution‐oriented practices in the institution to individual‐oriented care practices in the community group homes. The results of this deinstitutionalisation effort, which is the largest thus far in Finland, are discussed in relationship to research and the policy of deinstitutionalisation.