Supporting People With Learning Disabilities In Health And Social Care

This reflective and evidence-based book will equip students as well as professionals who work with people with learning disabilities in primary, secondary and specialist healthcare settings, with the knowledge and skills they need to work effectively with people with learning disabilities. Chapters - written by leading academics and practitioners in the learning disabilities field - examine and discuss core issues, while a case-study approach ensures a solid grounding in practical skills. This practical element is further reinforced by the inclusion of service-user and practitioner ′voices′, whose lived experiences make the book even more engaging, as well as a range of reflective exercises and regular opportunities for readers to self-audit their learning. Reflecting the multi-professional nature of services for people with learning disabilities, this book will help practitioners and students make a real difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities who access health and social care environments.

Many practitioners within health and social care come into contact with people with intellectual disabilities and want to work in ways that are beneficial to them by making reasonable adjustments in order to meet clients’ needs and expectations. Yet the health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities continues to be a neglected area, where unnecessary suffering and premature deaths continue to prevail. This text provides a comprehensive insight into intellectual disability healthcare. It is aimed at those who are training in the field of intellectual disability nursing and also untrained practitioners who work in both health and social care settings. Divided into five sections, it explores how a wide range of biological, health, psychological and social barriers impact upon people with learning disability, and includes: Six guiding principles used to adjust, plan and develop meaningful and accessible health and social services Assessment, screening and diagnosis of intellectual disability across the life course Addressing lifelong health needs Psychological and psychotherapeutic issues, including sexuality, behavioural and mental health needs, bereavement, and ethical concerns. The changing professional roles and models of meeting the needs of people with intellectual and learning disabilities. Intellectual Disability in Health and Social Care provides a wide-ranging overview of what learning disability professionals’ roles are and provides insight into what health and social care practitioners might do to assist someone with intellectual disabilities when specific needs arise.

An engaging, practical and multidisciplinary textbook for students and practitioners, this text provides comprehensive coverage of the skills and knowledge needed to work with people with learning disabilities in a variety of settings.

This textbook presents a practical guide for new and experienced health or social care staff, helping them promote the health and well-being of people with learning disabilities. Given the considerable demand for mandatory training on supporting people with learning disabilities, especially in England, the book provides a valuable resource for all training courses on working with people with learning disabilities. The chapters are co-written by practitioners and people with learning disabilities and their families, rooting the book in the lived experiences of those concerned. Topics covered include core elements of being happy and healthy, communication, changes in our behaviour when we are unwell, making decisions about our health, accessing health services, how we would want to be treated if we were unwell, the use of psychotropic medication, what a ‘good death’ would be, and how to keep ourselves healthy. In addition, the chapters include narrative examples concerning people with learning disabilities and their families, so as to highlight key points and share best-practice examples. The use of personal reflection is used to consider how we can ensure that people with learning disabilities receive care and support that matches what we would expect for ourselves. Core questions at the end of each chapter ask the reader to reflect on how the chapter content relates to their own work and how they will apply what they have learned. A consistent theme throughout the book is equality of opportunity for people with learning disabilities to achieve good health. There is now substantial evidence that people with learning disabilities have poorer health than the general population, are more likely to have multiple health needs, and can experience difficulties in having their illnesses diagnosed and treated promptly. This book aims to help those supporting people with learning disabilities to achieve more equal outcomes.

Featuring 11 chapters, each one with a detailed glossary, Learning to Care for People with Learning Disabilities is designed to be used as a reference book in either the clinical setting, classroom or at home. Chapters are re-divided into discrete sections reflecting contemporary Learning Disability nursing practice. References to care in a range of primary and secondary care settings are made throughout the book. Each chapter begins with key points and concludes with a summary of the significant points to reinforce learning.

This book examines aspects of care such as training, ethnicity, sexuality and competence in practice. Topics include the nature of touch, how physical contact is intended and experienced, carers' duty of care, and risk management. The book also explores management considerations of best value, care standards, performance monitoring and inspection.

It has long been known that people with learning disabilities have poorer health than the¬ general population, but the extent of these differences becomes striking when considering the evidence of reduced life expectancy. In 2013 the Confidential Inquiry into the Premature Deaths of People with Learning Disabilities reported that men typically die 13 years younger and women 20 years younger than the general population. In 42% of cases the death was considered premature. The reasons for this lower life expectancy are varied but what we do know is this group are two and a half times more likely to have multiple health needs than other people, and often have difficulties accessing health services or receiving appropriate treatment from clinicians. As well as looking at the challenges of accessing healthcare and navigating care pathways, this -handbook presents a practical guide to the most common conditions and health needs, with chapters written by experts in those conditions and their relationship to learning disabilities. A range of issues are covered, including mental health, cancer, epilepsy, respiratory and swallowing problems, and poor sight and hearing. The book aims to increase awareness and knowledge of how these conditions and issues present themselves, as well as how they can be prevented in the first place, and best practice in assessment and treatment. It will therefore be a valuable resource for families, support workers and health professionals.

If you work with people with a learning disability and are studying for a health and social care qualification, or you want the right information to help your personal development, then An introduction to supporting people with a learning disability is for you. This book puts the person at the centre of the support you give. It uses real life stories, activities and thinking points to cover all of the learning outcomes and is full of practical examples of how to apply the ideas to the support you provide.