A Place To Call Home: Intellectual Disabilities And Residential Services In Nova Scotia

Abstract

Despite broader trends toward the deinstitutionalization of people with intellectual disabilities and evidence that they have a higher quality of life in the community, many in Nova Scotia remain segregated in institutional settings. In response, this thesis examines the reasons why people with intellectual disabilities are institutionalized in the province, and the barriers that exist to embracing policies of deinstitutionalization. Through participant observation, document analysis, and qualitative interview research, several themes emerged regarding the social, economic, and political factors, as well as the conflicting beliefs among implicated community members, contributing to the continued existence of institutions. Drawing on an institutional ethnography approach, this thesis examines how these factors and beliefs are related to neo-liberal philosophies and broader ideological beliefs about disability.