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Learning disabilities

Developmental psychiatry - insights from learning disability

The Blake Marsh lecture, an annual lecture on learning disability, was endowed in 1963 in memory of Dr Blake Marsh, the former medical superintendent of Bromham House Colony in Bedford.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:09

Paying the piper and calling the tune? The relationship between parents and direct payments for people with intellectual disabilities

Background  The aim of this paper is to investigate the role parents are playing in direct payments provision for their son or daughter with intellectual disabilities.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:09

Journey to independence: how to run your life with direct payments

Presents an easy read guide to obtaining direct payments and choosing a carer. A Direct Payment is a cash payment from a Local Authority, to enable people to purchase their own services. The power to make Direct Payments is given to Local Authorities under the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996, which came into force on the 1st April 1997. Guidance to accompany the Act specifically included people with a learning disability.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:09

Working with older family carers and relatives with learning disabilities

The new white paper in England is an opportunity for services to stop and think about their relationship with families. This article looks specifically at the situation of older family carers and why services often fail to 'make sense' to them. It shows that these families often do not get the support they need, leaving them in great anxiety about the future. Examples are given of practical initiatives that have worked successfully with older families.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:08

Examining the support needs of ageing family carers in developing future plans for a relative with an intellectual disability

Background: Planning for the future care of adults with an intellectual disability after the main family carer ceases their care, continues to be a sensitive and difficult time posing challenges for service providers internationally. Limited research has been undertaken on this topic because until recently, people with intellectual disability usually pre-deceased their parents. This study examined ageing carers’ preferences for future care and the support systems required to make such future plans. 

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:08

'He will finish up caring for me' : people with learning disabilities and mutual care

Until recently, the carer's perspective has dominated research on families who include someone with a learning disability and recent legislation has underlined the carer's rights. Previous research has found that some more able people with learning disabilities were very aware of their parents' growing needs, and were taking on responsibilities within the family to help and support their carer/parents. However, recent legislation still dichotomizes family members into carers and cared-for people.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:08

The quality of life of family caregivers of adults with intellectual disabilities in Taiwan

Background  Taiwanese family carers of people with intellectual disabilities not only suffer from long-term stress but also need to cope with social difficulties. The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) among family carers of people with intellectual disabilities.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:08

The nature and extent of help given to women with intellectual disabilities to manage menstruation

Background Menstruation has been shown to be problematic for many women with intellectual disabilities. There has been a greater focus on menstrual suppression or elimination than on help and training to manage menstrual care successfully. Method A cross‐sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in England to investigate the help and training currently given to women with intellectual disabilities. Results Twenty‐nine percent of the women had never been given the opportunity to learn how to manage their own menstrual care.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:08

An education programme for social care staff: improving the health of people who have a learning disability and epilepsy

This article will describe and examine course feedback from a local training initiative, which contributes to the improvements in the health status of people with a learning disability, who have epilepsy. The aim is to analyse how an education programme that focused on epilepsy and its management, together with a borough wide epilepsy protocol developed the skills of the local workforce. This education programme provided a framework for social care staff, enabling them to work both safely and effectively in their support of individuals with learning disabilities that have epilepsy.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:08

Electronic tagging of people with dementia who wander

Once again the issue of using electronic tagging to safeguard older people who wander has attracted media attention. It is tempting to see the arguments as simply two sided—one side stressing the need to ensure safety and the other waving the banners of civil liberties and human rights. We think that this is not simply a factual matter but one that touches important values to do with respect for people. The correct position, therefore, is to face the complex dilemma.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:08

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