Supported housing

Has anyone ever been in supported housing? What’s it like there?x

I facilitate a NAMI group in a supportive housing community. It's wonderful. The people who live there are happy to be there. Supportive housing has a strong sense of community. It seems good because no one has to come out of their apartment, but if you're feeling isolated there are always people to socialize with, and get support from. Supportive housing is something I am definitely interested in looking into at some point.

Are you considering moving into a supportive housing community?

Thank you for your reply. My care coordinator suggested supportive rather than independent and is looking into finding a place for me. She said in these places you get your own room and sometimes own toilet, and share the kitchen area. And that there is a member of staff there during the day. Do you know if they come in your room?

I’m just feeling nervous as no idea what to expect xx

I don’t have an answer (I’m in the uk but have little to do with the System). I’m glad they are helping and treating you with respect

With regard to the supportive housing I am familiar with, each resident has their own apartment, including a private kitchen and private bathroom. The residents are allowed to have a pet.

There is also one common room with a kitchen, TV, one large seating area (tables and chairs), one section with sofas and comfortable chairs, and two bathrooms. The common room is used for meetings, gatherings, weekly community dinners, and just a place to hang out.

The supportive housing complex is very pleasant and pretty. Clean, and a place people would want to live in.

As for staff coming into people's apartments, there are yearly inspections to make sure everything is working properly in the apartment. But that is usually the case with any apartments and rentals.

The situation you've described, shared bathrooms and common kitchen, sounds more like a group home setting. I don't know where you're located, though...it's possible supportive housing and group homes are somewhat different in different places.

I know several people who do, or have, lived in a group home. They can be really nice, too, especially if the staff is a good one. From what I've heard privacy is respected. Group homes are generally more regulated (with curfews, for example). They are communal (shared bathrooms, shared kitchen, common TV room, etc.).

I lived in transitional housing for about 18 months, when I couldn't afford my own place, and needed the support to stay sober, and get it together mentally. Transitional housing is typically for people who have been homeless and are preparing to move into their own place.

I had my own room, which was quite large, but shared a bathroom with 6 other women. Meals were prepared at a set time, and we all ate together, you got no say over the food - it was take it or leave it, but it was generally healthy and well prepared.

We had a computer room, and a TV room/living room with comfortable couches and chairs.

Some of the staff were great, other's sucked.

We all had to do chores to keep the place clean.

It helped me a lot when I needed it, but I was glad to move out.

splitimage

I lived in a halfway house and supported living I guess in the 90's. The staff at the halfway house never talked to me, I was in bed all of the time. One staff member did insult me once which I didn't understand. We were forced to go to a day program which was lousy. In supported living a staff member checked in once a week but she was not knowledgeable with mental illness, I couldn't use her for support. I went to the halfway house after having ECT and becoming non-functional. Hope you have better luck.

Some of those programs can be a Godsend, but others can go pear-shaped really quick. It depends on who's running things and how competent they are.

There isn’t much good supported housing around here — maybe In larger towns?

I guess that I was in a group home for a couple of weeks. I kept creeping away and stole (but returned) the group’s van and was sent back to hospital.



***strum that thing and shout***

There are good supported housing programs in my city, and one can 'move up the ladder' if they do well there....and get their own apartment, at less of a cost than someone without a diagnosis.