Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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More than words
- Author:
- FRY Suzanne
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, June 2012, pp.26-27.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
This article describes the journey of ‘Ben’ who contracted measles at the age of five leaving him with a damaged brain, resulting in learning difficulties. Frustrated by not being able to communicate, Ben became disruptive and unmanageable, forcing his parents to place him in a residential care home in Hampshire. Ben was taken to a speech therapist for an assessment, where he was introduced to a programme run by Lancaster University that was using a communication aid called ‘Orac’, which plays pre-recorded messages to others. This article describes how Orac has enabled Ben to live a more fulfilling life, even enabling the use of telephones to talk to his family.
Commentary on “The People in Control Conference at City University, London: ‘We have opinions to share about our lives’”
- Author:
- BRADSHAW Jill
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 17(4), 2012, pp.177-183.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article provides a commentary on Harding et al.'s article (ipid, pp.169-176) about the involvement of people with learning disabilities in university teaching and conference presentations. Harding et al. outline the range of communication strengths and needs which this group of users experience. This article explores some of these in more detail, highlighting the role of communication partnerships between service users and members of staff with a view to identifying communication barriers to the involvement of people with learning disabilities. It argues that the generally poor communication environments in which people are supported are likely to limit opportunities for involvement. It then reflects on how the profile and importance of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) as a valid form of communication can be raised. It argues that this may best occur as part of general service-wide approaches to improving service quality, such as person-centred active support.
Getting technical
- Author:
- CUSHEN Margaret
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, June 2012, pp.14-15.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
Assistive technologies for smart phones and tablets are increasingly helping people with learning disabilities live more independently. This article explores how the new technologies are being used in both the UK and the US, and describes many of the potential applications for them. It specifically focuses on a group of service users from Devon who, two years ago, went to the US to investigate the potential for utilising small computing devices in learning disability services.
Ethical issues around telecare: the views of people with intellectual disabilities and people with dementia
- Authors:
- PERRY Jon, BEYER Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Assistive Technologies, 6(1), 2012, pp.71-75.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
As assistive technology and telecare AT&T are poised to become part of mainstream social care in the UK, it is important to consider the ethical issues associated with these technologies. The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of focus groups comprising 5 people with intellectual disabilities (PWID) and 4 people with dementia (PWD) that were convened as part of a larger Delphi study on the ethical issues around telecare. The main purpose of the focus groups was to validate the questions asked in the Delphi study questionnaire. The participants were asked to rate the importance of including in the questionnaire items on various ethical issues associated with the use of AT&T. The participants' ratings indicated that they felt there were important ethical issues around 7 areas related to AT&T: motivation for telecare; risk; assessment and review; consent; privacy; social isolation; and equipment installation. (Edited publisher abstract)
How personalised technology can be used to benefit quality of life for people with learning disabilities who have multiple and complex needs
- Author:
- FRY Suzanne
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Assistive Technologies, 6(1), 2012, pp.81-85.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
People with profound and multiple disabilities require higher levels of support in all aspects of daily life due to the complexity of their conditions. However, the uniqueness of each individual presents service providers with the challenge of how best to support them. This paper demonstrates how personalised technology can be adapted and used as a tool to benefit the quality of life for people with learning disabilities who have multiple and complex needs. Specifically, it describes the work at Clementi Court, a residential care home dedicated to supporting people with profound and multiple disabilities, run by the charity Hft. Three case studies are described to illustrate how the introduction of personalised technologies was able to make of positive impact on each individual’s life by enabling them to take more control over their environment.
Targeted support and telecare in staffed housing for people with intellectual disabilities: impact on staffing levels and objective lifestyle indicators
- Authors:
- PERRY Jonathan, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 25(1), January 2012, pp.60-70.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The age profile of adults with learning disabilities more closely resembles that of the general population in the UK than at any time previously, and as a result increased provision of opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities to live independently is required. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life consequences of living with less intensive staff support following the introduction of more targeted support (referring to flexible staff allocation) coupled with telecare. A targeted support and telecare intervention was implemented at staggered intervals by an agency providing support for people with intellectual disabilities to live in the community. A range of equipment was installed which could monitor various aspects of the environment and provide alerts if support was needed, and a revised staffing model reducing support at particular times was introduced. Data was collected at 4 points over a two-year period, covering information about participants (collected through interviews with staff who knew them well), setting descriptors, quality of care and lifestyle indicators. The results of the analysis indicated that a combination of targeted support and assistive technology had no adverse short-term effect on participants' quality of life, but reduced staff input. The authors discuss the findings and their implications.
Transforming integrated care – using telecare as a catalyst for change
- Author:
- THOMPSON Frances
- Journal article citation:
- Housing Care and Support, 15(1), 2012, pp.43-46.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article discusses how to successfully mainstream telecare to transform service delivery and provide more preventative and personalised care for people of all ages and abilities. Based on experiences from the city of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England, the article explores the use of technology and support systems, such as door sensors, smoke detectors or flood sensors, to assist vulnerable people by improving and improving well-being and maintaining independence, enabling individuals to live safely and securely at home for as long as possible. Alongside the management of adults and older people, telecare has also had a positive impact on the support of people with learning disabilities. The article concludes that to successfully integrate and mainstream telecare, there needs to be adequate training and assessment for all staff involved in the implementation in order to deliver a sustainable and deliverable telecare service. Overall, the cost efficiencies were crucial when considering the future of telecare and, with significant cost savings made over a relatively short period, the potential for future investments was a significant factor for the continuing delivery of services.