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The chapter is based on a study of people who acquire a disability during the course of their adult life as a result of chronic illness or other reasons. This anthropological study is intended to serve as a basis for planning services for the person with an acquired disability during the initial coping period, making the person feel at home through building supportive and accessible environments - family, home, service systems. We are calling the point in time when a person transitions from healthy life to coping with permanent changes in function ‘coming home’ (from hospital, doctor’s visit or other). This can occur in an instant or over time. From this point forward, the lifestyle of the person changes emotionally, socially, professionally and otherwise. Coming home has a significant impact as well on family relations - close family members who must deal with the changes in their loved ones’ health conditions and the consequences of the condition on the person and the family. People with acquired disability are potential consumers of services from various service systems (health, social services, etc). The inherent difficulties in navigating multiple service systems are exacerbated by the illness experience and therefore there is a need to develop interfaces between these systems. It is important to note that in spite of their long life experience in transitions and changes, adults who become disabled are worried of the unknown, of being more dependent functionally, socially and financially. In in-depth interviews carried out to date, we found commonalities in the coming home point in time experience across different causes of disability. In the next phase, we intend to conduct focus groups with family members and with service system professionals.
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