Accommodation

Some people with Bipolar disorders require care in accommodation where there is supervision by staff, both by day and night. This can be in a hostel or a group home where several people with long-term mental health disorders live together. Others live on their own or with their families, but have regular visits from a care co-ordinator, care manager or CPN to supervise their medication and monitor their mental state. They may attend day centres on one or several days of the week, when activities are organised and members of the community health team can review them. Those with moderate or severe disease will have regular review by the mental health team either at home, in a clinic, or other community setting. Their CPA (Care Plan Approach) will be regularly reviewed usually every three to six months and a revised plan will be completed.

Lives at home

Lives with parents, spouse, other relative or carer in their own home.

Supported accommodation

Lives in group home 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 at night in an emergency.

Residential accommodation with 12 to 24 hour supervision

This customer is likely to live in accommodation with a high degree of supervision from care workers:

• 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.