Accommodation

Excessive drinking is liable to cause profound social disruption that includes increased levels of:

• Marital problems and domestic violence leading to increased divorce rates.
• Financial debt.
• Work related problems.
• Unemployment.
• Crime, including theft, fraud, sexual offences, violence and drink driving.

Social disruption, together with associated mental illness, especially depression, may result in:

• Social isolation.
• Poor self-care.
• Chaotic lifestyle.
• Loss of their home.

People who are homeless as a result of alcohol related problems are therefore likely to be severely socially disabled. It should be noted that 50% of those who sleep rough are alcohol dependent.

The person with alcohol related mental illness could live in a number of scenarios with varying levels of support. The greater the level of disability, the greater the level of support that is likely to be provided.

A person with a mild or moderate alcohol related mental illness is likely to live in their own home.

A person with severe alcohol related mental illness, especially dementia or Korsakoff syndrome may live in residential accommodation, either supported or supervised.

Home

This is defined in this context as a house, bedsit or flat.

Residential accommodation/hostel

This is defined in this context as accommodation provided by an external agency where there are arrangements for either intermittent support or regular supervision, for either the physical or mental consequences of alcohol and includes:

Supported Group home

Lives with 3 - 10 or more people, often with different mental health disorders, where support workers visit several times a week or daily, but are not present at night. Sometimes a warden may live on site but would only be called on at night in an emergency.

Residential accommodation with 12 to 24 hours supervision

Lives in a group home or hostel where support workers are present throughout the day, and some sleep in at night. At night they would expect to be called if the residents needed attention at night or an emergency occurred.

As above but support workers present at night because the residents may exhibit disturbed behaviour at night that would require intervention from trained staff.

Rehabilitation in “dry houses” and “move on” accommodation

A "dry house" is a specific rehabilitation setting for treatment of severe alcohol dependence. Individuals are resident for between 3 and 12 months. There may also be second stage or “move on” accommodation. Individuals assessed as requiring “dry house” accommodation will be by definition severely dependent on alcohol with significant social sequelae.