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The Sheltered Apartment
«Towards an autonomous living... Independent, Equitable and Descent Living within the Community»
The "Sheltered Apartment" is a centre for psychosocial rehabilitation which provides
specialised therapeutic support services to people with psychosocial disabilities, residing in community homes.
Supported autonomous living of people with psychosocial disabilities is aimed
at enhancing their participation in everyday activities, achieving the highest
possible degree of independence and permitting their social rehabilitation and
integration.
In October 2000, the Association for the Psychosocial Health of Children
and Adolescents created the first "Sheltered Apartment" in order to provide
a framework of supported autonomous living to two persons with serious
learning and psychosocial disabilities.
Towards an autonomous living
The residents of the "Sheltered Apartment" have come a long way in the last few years.
They have moved from social exclusion towards social integration.
These people spent their most important years, from early childhood until
they reached adulthood, excluded in the Leros PIKPA Asylum, where they
experienced the negative effects of an institutionalized and depriving environment.
In 1993, within the framework of the Leros PIKPA Asylum deinstitutionalisation
and rehabilitation project implemented by APHCA, they were transferred to "Thetis" Community Home.
"Thetis" Community Home was created in Athens in order to provide care and
psychosocial rehabilitation services to eleven former Leros Asylum inmates.
Seven years later, two of the residents, Takis and Giorgos, have evolved
emotionally and developed the individual and social skills necessary for
managing their everyday needs with a higher degree of independence.
It became clear that what these two persons needed was the opportunity to
pursue the psychosocial rehabilitation process within the right framework.
The "Sheltered Apartment" represents this framework. Its objective is to
support residents in their bid for an autonomous and independent living within
the community. .
Making a wish come true...
Residents struggled long and hard to acquire the position they deserve
in the community. Their wish came true and now they are given the chance to:
- manage their personal life with the highest possible degree of autonomy and independence.
- prove their capacities and assume the right to participate on equal terms and with dignity in the social environment.
... an independent, equitable and descent living
At last residents feel at home. They can take care of their personal
space, use appliances, organize and do their shopping, choose their own
leisure activities, build their own network of relationships with family
members and friends, and find a job.
The "Sheltered Apartment" residents are now enjoying an independent life in the community.
Their efforts are supported by a trained team of mental health specialists.
The team provides help on a daily basis, depending on the residents' needs, with a view to:
- developing the residents' self-management skills, in their everyday needs.
- facilitating their contact with public services.
- acting as an intermediary and permitting their participation in educational and employment frameworks.
- fostering relationships with family and friends.
Supported autonomous living of people with psychosocial disabilities in community homes:
- Ensuring and applying rules concerning group livingmakes the most of their potential within real life conditions.
- enhances emotional development as a result of autonomy and accountability.
- builds their self-esteem and trust to their own abilities.
- combats social exclusion, stigmatization and passiveness, brought about by their long-term stay in asylums.
- fosters active, equitable and descent participation in every form of social expression.
- recognizes the right of each individual to communicate and interact with the rest of the community
The "Sheltered Apartment" is funded and supervised by the Greek Ministry of Health,
Welfare and Social Services (Mental Health Direction - Unit under the Article 9 of Law 2716/1999)
8 Nafpliou Str, Halandri 152 31
Τel: +30 210 6779379
e-mail:thethis@otenet.gr
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