Within Facility Management (FM) the connection between organisation and space is a well-established topic. This study was made in the context of discovery and explored to what extent changes in organisation and space can contribute to the quality of life of intellectually disabled residents with a severe behavioural disorder (hereafter called residents) and a need for low stimulus intensity.In scientific literature the influence of the spatial environment on well-being of this specific group of residents has been described extensively by scholars in psychology. However, the joint optimisation of organisation and space is relatively new in FM and relates to studies on evidence based design and healing environments.This current study explores the relationship between different configurations in organisation and space in real life on one side and aggressive behaviour of two residents on the other. The research design was a longitudinal comparative case study and combined retrospective analysis with analysis of the current situation. The applied methods included document analysis, interview, photography, and walkthrough.Residents were exposed to different degrees of stimulus intensity in different periods. In periods where residents were exposed to a low stimulus intensity in organisation and space a relatively low number of incidents was reported. To be more precise: in periods where residents were exposed to few peer-residents, a custom-made team, a stable team composition, a standard team approach, and many personal spaces less incidents were reported than in periods where residents were often exposed to peer-residents, a group-based team, changes in team composition, no standard team approach, and many group spaces. These preliminary results suggest that a fit between the needs of residents with organisational and spatial designs can improve the well-being of residents. Further research among a larger population of residents should reveal if the current results have more general validity and whether these current findings would also be valid for other care institutes.
Abstract Background: Although there is little evidence on their efficacy regarding challenging behaviour, antipsychotics are the most used psychotropic drugs in residential intellectually disabled people. Discontinuation is possible for some residential clients with intellectual disabilities. This study aimed to gain insight into support staff's perceptions of discontinuing antipsychotics in residential clients with intellectual disabilities. Method: Four focus groups were conducted in this mixed‐methods study, followed by a survey. Results: A large majority of support staff perceive antipsychotics to be effective in controlling challenging behaviour. Support staff regarded themselves as willing to contribute to the discontinuation of antipsychotics, but were more confident about achieving reductions. Conclusions: The attitude of the majority of support staff towards discontinuation provides a good basis for regularly reviewing antipsychotics use. A reduction plan should include preliminary steps, methods of monitoring and evaluating the process, and establishing measures for dealing with possible crises.
Chronic sorrow involves parents’ enduring grief due to their child’s disability. This stems not only from the recurring painful reality parents face, which differs from the life they had hoped for their children, families, and themselves but from also being confronted with societal and personal norms and expectations they cannot meet. There is a lack of research on the lived experiences of parents’ chronic sorrow. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study involving six parents with severely disabled children explored what it is like for parents to confront being ‘‘different.’’ Besides sorrow, the parents experienced intense ambiguity,guilt, and uncertainty while navigating societal expectations and their own perceptions of their children. Their ideas of parenthood and their self-identity as parents proved central to their strategies. This study provides insight into the intricacies of this particular aspect of chronic sorrow in parents, with relevance for research and practice.
