A Special Unit to Encourage Giving Up Patienthood

A Veterans Administration hospital established a 30-bed intermediate rehabilitation unit for patients from other treatment wards who have improved but are not ready for full discharge. The unit offers an intermediate phase of treatment to assist the veteran in giving up his patienthood. The environment encourages the patients' increased independence and self-reliance. The unit director is a social worker who is assisted by a small staff and several volunteers from the community. During the first year, 116 out of 146 patients were released from the hospital.