Listening to families’ views regarding institutionalization & deinstitutionalization

Abstract

Various care approaches have been offered to people with intellectual disabilities over time. Amongst these approaches, deinstitutionalization has been considered to be the most crucial development in delivery of services for people with intellectual disabilities. Although families’ ongoing participation is regarded as a key element in achieving successful deinstitutionalization, it seems little attempt has been made in Australia to examine families’ perspectives on institutionalization and deinstitutionalization. This study examines families’ perspectives and attitudes about institutionalization and deinstitutionalization. The sample of the study consisted of 22 families whose relatives were living in an institution. Based on a qualitative study, a semi‐structured interview was undertaken for collecting data, and the NUD*IST computer software package was used to code and analyze the data in the current study. Families’ views about institutionalization and deinstitutionalization were discussed. Families expressed their oppositions to deinstitutionalization for the following reasons: adverse impacts on themselves and on their relatives with intellectual disabilities, inadequacy of community‐based residential settings, and provision of good services by the current institution. Limitations and implications of the study are highlighted.