FEARS that health services lose contact with long term psychiatric patients after they are discharged are exaggerated, a new study suggests.
In the study, researchers found that the health services know the whereabouts of all 162 long term patients discharged from a Co Clare psychiatric hospital over six years, and none of them was homeless.
But the study also found that only a handful were living independently or with their families.
The research was carried out by Dr Susan Finnerty, of Clare Psychiatric Service; Mr Paul Guckian, senior social worker with the service, and Mr Edward Lough, the service's assistant chief nursing officer.
It found, according to an article by the researchers in the Irish Social Worker, that patients discharged from the long stay wards of Our Lady's Hospital, Ennis, "do not contribute to the homeless population in Ireland. None of the discharged patients were homeless at follow up.
Of the 162 patients discharged between October 1987 and January 1994, only 8 per cent were returned to the care of their families or to independent accommodation.
Almost half went to a local geriatric hospital because they were over 65. Almost half were discharged to high or medium support hostels.
Just over one patient in 10 was readmitted to Our Lady's Hospital following discharge.
All patients kept in touch with the Clare Psychiatric Services, except for two who were living outside the catchment area, say the researchers.
Just over half attend a day centre at least once a week and one third attend out patient clinics at least once every three months. Almost half are also visited by a community psychiatric nurse.
Part of the reason for the high level of contact between the former long stay patients and the psychiatric service may be that Clare is a predominantly rural area, the researchers say. Neighbours, voluntary groups and other people in the community help the psychiatric service in caring for the patients.
They point out that definitions of homelessness can affect the findings. The 1988 Housing Act defines as homeless those who live in an institution - because they are unable to provide accommodation from their own resources."
Using this definition, say the researchers, most of those now residing in community facilities would be considered to be homeless, yet "none of the discharged long stay population were homeless in the sense that they had no home."