Presenting Housing Options
It is the decision of the person, or their legal decision maker, to choose the discharge destination. It is considered a human right to choose where you live, and who you live with. The hospital team plays an important role in supporting people to exercise their rights and choose a discharge destination. Wherever possible, a person should be presented with multiple housing options for discharge. Presenting only one option is not a choice, as discharge itself is rarely optional.Presentation of housing options should include the information obtained when engaging with providers so the person is well-informed. Presenting a choice of viable options reduces the risk of the housing or support arrangement breaking down in the community. To help people understand their options, it is often beneficial to list the ‘pros and cons’ of each option, based on the person’s needs and preferences.Present long-term options, as well as any potential interim options, at the same time. People are more likely to be receptive to a temporary compromise if they know there is a longer-term option in progress.
Top Tips and Tricks
- Make sure all of the right people are shown the housing options. This could include the person, family members and a legal guardian.
- Present all viable housing options at one time in the same way. This will help people compare the pros and cons for each option. Presenting options on different days can cause confusion.
- Act quickly on applying for housing once a decision has been made.
Case Study
A housing search for Victoria revealed five viable housing options. Of these, three were interim housing options that immediately addressed her accessibility and support needs, but did not fully align with her preferences. There were two long-term housing solutions which aligned with her needs and preferences, however required a custom build with a construction time of at least 12 months. All five options were presented to Victoria and her guardian, and included the pros and cons of each. This included an explanation on how the interim housing options provided practical solutions while awaiting a more permanent arrangement. This approach ensured that Victoria and her guardian could make an informed decision on both the long term and the interim housing options simultaneously.View the PDF version of the Presenting Housing Options resource: View PDF