why did we change from institutionalisation to community care?
454325
Back in the 60's and 70's, there were many court cases on the State's right to hold people who were not a danger to themselves or others, and as a result a lot of people were let out of the institutions, which were really more like jails.  Community care was then needed, because although these people might not have been violent, they could not easily take care of themselves, either.  Also, money talks.  Funding the mental institutions was expensive and this gave the states an excuse to cut expenses.
799191
That is a great question.  When a label is applied to a person who is out of the ordinary it is used in clinical settings.  Then the "label" escapes into general population it becomes a derogatory term for anybody who is out of the ordinary.\n\nMental reardation has become one of those terms.  So the clinical term has had to change to something less "painful", like developmentaly disabled, developmentaly delayed, learning disabled, etc.  But if you've got a Wechler or Stanford Binet IQ of 68, you're mentally retarded.  No "kinder, gentler" label will change reality.
162137
It's not quite that simple. You can be institutionalized for harming yourself by state authorities if they can present to a judge that you are endangering your life or the lives of others. It is quite difficult to prove in adults. Also, different states have different guidelines for what they consider to be endangering yourself, etc.
259323
People change because they're very resilient and our survival instinct helps us adapt to the surroundings we are in.  This applies to the physical environment and even the culture of the society there.
971242
In layman's terms, I think it is to enable people to live healthier and happlier lives. Not everyone is blessed with perfect health / living conditions and so we need to work towards improving both of these.\n\nThis research shows that it is being looked into and there are constant improvements. People do complain that we're turning into a "Nanny State" but there must be some benefits!
577841
I think people naturally want to improve their efforts, and that is what is being done to serve the clients better. However, there are those who have a hard time with change. It sounds as though you do. Actually, I have used both formats and find them equally well-done, although if I had to choose, I would choose the original.
285143
Changing the way you look at things is hard.  We all have preconception of what is what.  It is hard to change that.  It will take a long time to change it.  We are raised to make money.  We value the things it gets us.  We love to live in a bigger house, have a newer car, sexier spouse, beautiful children... this all cost money.
1135543
This is a tricky subject.  I've worked with the homeless and many actually prefer to live on the streets and wouldn't use or care for housing if they had it.  Many of the homeless are also mentally ill.  Tackle that challenge, they can become productive and turn it around.
913698
If a person is inpatient at a psychiatric hospital, they are usually a danger to themselves or others.  There they can be medically monitored, medicated and restrained if necessary to be safe.  Once they have calmed down, they will have therapy several times a day and try to fix what can be fixed.  Hopefully when they leave and stay on their medications, continue outpatient therapy.....they will no longer be a danger to anyone and can work and live normally.  That's how it's supposed to work.  For the most part it does.  Some people are just unable to live outside of an institutional setting and that's a damn shame.
893452
OMG don't get me started!\n\nFirstly as a British (Welsh) person I totally agree with you. about us becoming the world's soup kitchen - but let me try and explain how our system works and why it has gone wrong.\n\nWe have a more socialist system than you.  Healthcare is funded by the Government and there is provision made for social housing (Government funded), Welfare Benefits etc which are far more than you get.\n\nBut they are meant to be for those British people who REALLY need them!! The sick, elderly, disabled, those who through no fault of their own are unemployed, or have fallen on hard times or those who are poorly paid.  The architect of the Welfare State was a 1950's Welsh politician named Aneurin Bevan (Great Welshman!).  He believed that all working people had the right to such basic things as medical care, roof over their head, food, education and the chance to earn a fair wage and live a decent life.  That these things were not luxuries to be bought but fundamental rights.  He had grown up amongst the poor Welsh Mining Communities, and had seen hard working people being paid low wages by their greedy bosses, and having to go without food and medical care because they couldn't afford it.  He wanted to put a stop to this.\n\nOver the years these benefits have been taken advantage of.  Not just by lazy British people who didn't want to work and do the best for themselves, but by foreigners who saw that by coming here they would get housing, free healthcare, education, benefits etc.\n\nWe still need the Welfare State because there will always be genuine hard working British people who fall on hard times (through no fault of their own) and are in need of these basics of life.  Expecting them to rely on "charities" for help is farcical.  Charities are always under funded and can do little other than open soup kitchens and give "advice".   Thats not going to clothe and house people or find them work or treat them when they are sick.  Charities will never be able to provide for all the poor and destitute - ever read Charles Dickens?  They are  supplementary measure but nothing more.   Responsiblity needs to lie with the Govenrnment.\n\nAt the moment we have a useless, spineless government who are so PC its a joke (if you are an muslim or minority you can rant and rage and do what you want but a white person makes an un-PC comment and you end up in court - see Nick Griffin's recent case) and are so terrified of being considered "racist" that they are just allowing our country to be swamped with the poor and scrounging from the rest of the world.  \n\nAs a result, social housing has become nonexistant (5-7 year waiting lists for a council house in my area - British families who can't afford private rents or mortgages are homleless), and there is high unemployment, as British people are being pushed out of work by immigrants who will work for minimum wage.   You can educate yourself and work hard but it doesn't pay off.  And people are getting sick of it.  Hence the rise in popularity of the BNP (British Nationalist Party) - a far right political party.\n\nUnless the Government take steps to do something about the homelessness, poverty, misery, unemployment and crime currently swamping our country (and greatly contributed to by immigrants) then things will go from bad to worse.  Hopefully, Tony Blair and his shower of losers (such as John "Two Jags" Prescott the fattest ugliest stupidest man on earth) will soon be out on their ears.   All we need is a REAL leader to put this country right.
732711
A community mental health nurse is a qualified nurser who specialises in mental health.  They often visit patients in their own homes and can act as a liaison between you and your psychiatrist.\n\nThe give support where needed, answer any questions you may have, can get you help in a crisis quickly etc.  If you been offered the help of one, I would definately go for it.  My CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse) was invaluable.  Luckily I now don't need one as I'm doing better.
248889
A hospital is were you go when you sick for short term time an acute care is for longer setting where you need a nursing staff still but will need for month to months usually it in between hospital and nursing home kinda like a rehab hospital where you get therapy to help you move around and get your strenght back so you can go home.
933769
well in ancient times, ive heard folklore about old people being carried into the forest, because they were no longer helpful to the community.  but oftentimes ppl in the past did not live to be more than 60 years old...otherwise their families just took care of them until they got too sick, then they just treated them like any other dying person.  believe it or not, a few hundred yrs. ago, there were no nursing homes...yup...lol
452366
Contact your local Social Care and Health Department, through your local council, the number will probably be in the phone book..... They should have lists of agencies and may be able to offer some help themselves.( they used to be Socail Services...name just recently changed.)
1097366
I have been an Aide for the past three and a half years. Personally, I enjoy caring for people. Being caring is a gift from the heart. I have enjoyed my job for the most part. The nursing home I worked at had a fun working environment, and that made my work even more appealing.\nHowever, my fiance and I had to relocate to another city, and sadly, I left my job. I'm now working at another nursing home in a new city and unfortunately their level of care overall is a bit below my expectations. Whereas I'm used to a lower ratio of aide to patient, this one has a higher ratio and that means less personal one on one care, it seems a bit disorganised, half the time, supplies are missing, the laundry does not supply much needed linen on time and and sadly its sanitory standard are below par (in my opinion). \nI've found myself re-evaluating my profession. If I can't participate in my profession, giving the best care I can, in a good, clean, sanitory environment, I would rather not participate at all. I love caring for people but I also hate seeing people suffer knowing I cannot do anything to better their pain.\nSo, I guess in the course of my aide career, I have realised that there are good nursing homes willing to make sure their patients are taken care of, and there are those that want to make money but spend less on amenities needed to care for their patients. \n\nI still believe aides are of great value to the nursing profession. Hats off to all Aides!! \n\nFor support, chatting etc., got to http://www.NursingAssistantCentral.com
707759
The differnece between a chav in 2006 and a hippy in 1966 is that the hippy's really tried to change the world for the better. They failed but at least they tried.\n\nThe chavs are not trying to change the world. They are just trying to make it worse. Chavs are not trying to form a revolution.\n\nThe hippys were mainly middle class and chavs are working class.\n\nThe hippys were mainly well educated but the chavs are not.
725754
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!\n\nWith the introduction of the NHS Trust in the early 90's, I witnessed a massive waste of money and quite a bit of nepotism. Jobs were invented for people who were surplus to requirements.\n\nThe hospital I worked in had 5 psychiatric units...2 elderly services admissions, 2 acute admissions and 1 day hospital.\n\nthese units had 1 manager working day shift and 1 manager working night shift.\nWhen the trusts came in, they took on 5 managers..1 for each ward and gave them 24hr responsibility. Bonus' were introduced for on-call and that on top of the inflated pay rise they all got, sent the budget spiralling.\n\nAfter a few years running like this...the Trust was complaining of overspending..not by a little, but by millions and millions of pounds.\n\nI don't ever recall being overspend by these ridiculous amounts of money before the introduction of so many managers.\n\nNo wonder there are so many  problems in the NHS today..all due to lack of funding. \n\nEnough said!!!