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The aim of this research was to examine the subjective quality of life in blind and partially sighted people in relation to the type of impairment, duration of impairment and participation in psychosocial rehabilitation. The study used a sociodemographic and health questionnaire, and the Personal Wellbeing Index for adults to examine participant satisfaction with different life domains. The results have shown that subjective quality of life in blind and partially sighted people is within the theoretically expected normative range for global population of 60 to 80% scale maximum. The results have also shown that type and duration of impairment as well as participation in psychosocial rehabilitation are significant indicators of subjective quality of life of blind and partially sighted people., Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati subjektivnu kvalitetu života slijepih i slabovidnih osoba u odnosu na vrstu oštećenja vida, trajanje oštećenja te sudjelovanje u programu psihosocijalne rehabilitacije. U istraživanju je primijenjen sociodemografsko-zdravstveni upitnik, a kako bi se ispitalo zadovoljstvo sudionika pojedinim domenama života primijenjen je Indeks osobne kvalitete života za odrasle. Rezultati ovog istraživanja pokazuju da je subjektivna kvaliteta života slijepih i slabovidnih osoba u okviru teorijski očekivanoga normativnog raspona za svjetsku populaciju od 60 do 80 % skalnog maksimuma. Rezultati pokazuju da su vrsta oštećenja vida, trajanje oštećenja te sudjelovanje u psihosocijalnoj rehabilitaciji važni indikatori subjektivne kvalitete života slijepih i slabovidnih osoba.

Recently, psychiatric terminology uses term «remission» as a distinct clinical category in sense of decrease in symptoms of schizophrenia, and term «recovery» representing clinical as well as a social category with reintegration in adequate proffessional, family and social life. (Sartorius i sur., 2006.). Term «recovery» is interpreted and understood in various ways. Author of one of the first definitions is William Anthony (1993): «Deeply personal, unique process of changing one’s attitudes, values, feelings, goals, skills and/or roles. It is a way of living a satisfying, hopeful, and contributing life even with limitations caused by the illness. Recovery involves the development of new meaning and purpose in one’s life as one grows beyond the catastrophic effects of mental illness.» Program of treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation in foster families in Psychiatry Hospital «Sveti Ivan» includes occupational therapy as well as recreative and spiritual activities (wellness program, vacation, literary group, visits to various art and entertainment shows as well as religious groups and gatherings). Baseline values are determined in all patients treated in foster families upon admission through Self Esteem Scale, Loneliness Questionnaire and QOL Scale. Since baseline values determined for our patients on QOL scale suggest living situation, religion, socializing and free time as a great source of pleasure we assumed that one or more of recreational and/or spiritual activities will have positive impact and/or decrease sense of loneliness, increase self esteem and generally improve QOL, all together contributing to recovery of our patients. Hence, we organized two day trip to Međugorje shrine, one day trip to Trakošćan castle, two summer vacations, all within recreational activities. Same questionnaires and scales were administered at three months follow up upon inclusion in program of treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation in foster families and results will be displayed in our presentation.

Psychosocial rehabilitation of persons with malignant diseases is based on knowing of the basic models of their conative, emotional and psychosocial functioning. In the clinical sense, these behavior patterns / forms of behavior can be characterized by different variables, such as anxiety, solitude, depression, dissatisfaction with lifestyle… Within psychosocial rehabilitation, various forms of supportive psychotherapies can be applied. These methods can focus on development of appropriate coping mechanisms (behavioral tools for facing diseases and stressful conditions) in a diseased person. Such programs are usually a synthesis of educational and therapeutic approaches, which can comprise the following areas: fear of death and/or disability, changed body image, pain control, communication with environment etc. The results of earlier research studies in various disciplines have shown that psychosocial rehabilitation can have an impact of a number of aspects in the quality of live of a diseased person and his/her environment.