Towards recovery: living in a home-like setting after the move from a hospital ward

Six clients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were interviewed about their experiences of their lives in a home-like setting, their key care provider and the care received. Their narratives of lived experiences in care were interpreted as living a process of health in the midst of severe mental illness, involving: 'becomi ng more','being disabled', 'comforting/confirming relationship', 'discomfor ting/unconfirming relationship' and 'caring about the caring relationship' Fatigue and lack of strength influenced the lives of most clients considera bly, and the stories were about problems and conflicts, Nevertheless, the c lients seemed really to struggle to make communal life work, and there were experiences of increased competence and better self-confidence in most of the stories. On the whole care was described as good, and the process of health seemed t o be supported by experiences of comfort and being confirmed in the client- care provider relationship.