Understanding the Transition to Community Living After Discharge From an Acute Care Hospital: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to obtain patients' experiences in making the transition from an acute care hospital to their homes in the community. METHOD: Data were gathered through group and telephone interviews with a volunteer sample of 27 discharged patients. Analysis involved two stages: categorization of shared themes and interpretation of individual occupational experiences. RESULTS: Informants described their experiences of transition in terms that were analytically categorized as Perceived Self-Efficacy, Resources, Dimensions of Occupation, and Environmental Constraints and Opportunities. Analysis of individual patient transcripts suggests the presence of an hierarchical ordering of desired occupations. CONCLUSION: Understanding patients' perceptions of enabling and disabling experiences has implications for predischarge and postdischarge practice in occupational therapy.