ABSTRACT
In a residential institution no one functions in true isolation. Through the process of giving and receiving care, and the sheer proximity of communal living, residents and staff are drawn together as members of a total group. This situation is often regarded as essentially destructive, leading to loss of individuality and all the deadening effects of institutionalisation. However, a more hopeful interpretation is possible, and is essential if residential care is to develop. Life in an institution can be seen as a kind of corporate enterprise based on mutual need and interdependence, to which all can contribute with dignity and from which all can derive comfort. Membership of the residential group may actually enhance rather than diminish the quality of life for both residents and staff.
