This is my home
In Kvæfjord, North Norway’s central institution for people with intellectual disabilities was at Trastad from 1954 to 1991. Hundreds of people were housed here for years on end, often far from their relatives and friends. When the institution was wound up, the inmates had to find new homes. The transition to living in their own homes has opened up new opportunities for them, but new challenges too.
Photo: Veronica Melå, from the documentary photo project “This is my home”, 2007.
Eirik Johansen is intellectually retarded. He is now in his 40s, and lives in a care facility in Sandvika outside Oslo. He lived at home with his family for 10 years, far too long according to his mother. When he was 10, he was admitted to Emma Hjorth’s Home. His three elder siblings, who had so much been looking forward to him being born, were deeply affected by the extra burden of looking after him and all the attention he needed. For years afterwards the oldest brother Øistein couldn’t stand being in the house when Eirik was on a home visit.
Photo loaned from Ellen Johansen.
In Kvæfjord, North Norway’s central institution for people with intellectual disabilities was at Trastad from 1954 to 1991. Hundreds of people were housed here for years on end, often far from their relatives and friends. When the institution was wound up, the inmates had to find new homes. The transition to living in their own homes has opened up new opportunities for them, but new challenges too.
Photo: Veronica Melå, from the documentary photo project “This is my home”, 2007.
Eirik Johansen is intellectually retarded. He is now in his 40s, and lives in a care facility in Sandvika outside Oslo. He lived at home with his family for 10 years, far too long according to his mother. When he was 10, he was admitted to Emma Hjorth’s Home. His three elder siblings, who had so much been looking forward to him being born, were deeply affected by the extra burden of looking after him and all the attention he needed. For years afterwards the oldest brother Øistein couldn’t stand being in the house when Eirik was on a home visit.
Photo loaned from Ellen Johansen.