Using a case study of a 52-year-old man with Down syndrome, Sharon Dixon and Ian Mansell explore the barriers to providing a smooth transfer from supported living to a nursing home. The role of the learning disability nurse and wider community support team in aiding the transition are also discussed

Sevices for people with a learning disability have changed radically over the past 30 years. The move from predominantly segregated institutional settings to smaller community-based supported living arrangements has led to an improved quality of life for many people. However, it has been argued that resettlement programmes throughout this period focused primarily on moving people with a learning disability out of institutional settings, with limited recognition given to this population’s longer term needs (Department of Health 2001).