Exploring the meaning of ‘home’ for adults aged 18-35 living in long-term residential care

Younger adults who live in long-term residential care homes in the UK have complex housing needs which require a high level of support due to often multiple and profound physical and learning disabilities. As a population, younger care home residents are significantly underrepresented in both academic and policy research. The literature that does exist focuses overwhelmingly on the experiences of older adults (aged 65+). This gap presents a lack of understanding and representation of the experiences of younger care home residents, particularly in how they make sense of ‘home’ whilst living in long-term residential care.

Jess’s PhD research will be using inclusive and engaging creative methods such as arts, video and photography with residents to explore the meaning of ‘home’. It will also use traditional qualitative methods of interviewing to explore how employed staff members and the families and friends of residents encourage and foster a sense of ‘home’. Overall this research aims to fill gaps in current knowledge and add a unique contribution by enabling the voices of younger adult residents to be heard.

Funded in collaboration with CRESR (GTA PhD Studentship).

Supervisors

• Sadie Parr (Main supervisor)
• Lindsey McCarthy
• Jenni Brooks