Neighbourhood’s contribution to social connectedness and reduction of loneliness among ‘intensive home support’ clients

Intensive home support (IHS) is a contemporary floating outreach approach in supported housing designed to address the growing need for community living initiatives for persons with severe mental illness (SMI). Despite the advantages of independent living, IHS clients often experience loneliness, superficial relationships with neighbours, and lower levels of community integration compared to those without SMI. This article aims to identify opportunities for positive interactions between IHS clients and neighbourhood residents, focusing on how social initiatives can improve connections and reduce loneliness. We conducted qualitative research with semi-structured interviews involving professionals, volunteers, IHS clients, and residents of three Dutch neighbourhoods, in which forty-two respondents participated in thirty-three interviews. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes: (1) collaborating actors; (2) preventing social loneliness; (3) strengthening reciprocal relationships; and (4) strengthening social connectedness. Community workers, support staff, and key figures play crucial roles in connecting social initiatives with IHS clients.Imagine living independently, but still feeling lonely and disconnected from your neighbours. This is often the reality for people with severe mental illness who receive intensive home support (IHS) to help them live in their communities. While IHS assists with independent living, many clients struggle with loneliness and lack meaningful connections in their neighbourhoods. Our article explores how social initiatives can help bridge this gap and foster positive interactions between IHS clients and their neighbours. We interviewed professionals, volunteers, clients, and residents in three Dutch neighbourhoods to uncover key insights. We found that community workers, support staff, and key figures play an important role in making these connections. However, creating strong social bonds requires more than just support; it needs meeting places like community centres with ongoing, engaging activities. While great initiatives exist to combat loneliness, many opportunities are still not reaching those who need them most.