Building the Path to Home

If you feel the situation is stable but unsatisfactory

How does the person see the situation?

Although you may believe that the person is in a situation that doesn't support a reasonable and positive quality of life, he or she may not agree. Sometimes a housing situation with what appears to be an inadequate level of support can be the housing of choice for a person who has trouble coping with the demands of interaction in shared living situation.

Or perhaps housing alternatives weren't available or offered to the person, and so he or she has made do in a situation that may be less than ideal.

For example, John may have bounced from street to shelter to rooming house to hospital because of:

• an inability to engage with supporters or
• the instability of his mental health issues or
• behaviours arising from an inability to express himself. 

John may say he doesn't want a worker or a place to live, but that may be because he hasn't experienced the benefits of a trusting relationship or a supportive living environment. In this case, an outreach worker or transitional support worker could offer some connection and a place to start.

Find out who John trusts and work with that person to understand John's needs and assess what is contributing to his instability.

What if the person doesn't want to change housing/support?

This is the most challenging situation, and unfortunately it is probably the most common.  

Unless the person is not competent to make personal care decisions or is at serious risk of harming himself or herself or someone else, you cannot force the person to change housing or support. You will need to gradually build a relationship with the person. Any connection with a support person or agency (e.g., a food bank) can be the first step toward building a support network and a more stable environment see Planning.

If you feel that the person may not be capable of making decisions about personal care, you may want to review the information about how capacity is determined in Ontario see Personal care and property.

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