Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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Personal vs. proxy focus groups' perspectives on quality of life
- Authors:
- HOLBURN Steve, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 4(3), September 2007, p.210–212.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The authors present a finding from a larger study that investigated variation in perspective among different stakeholder focus groups about enhancing quality of life (QoL) of individuals with intellectual disabilities living in group residences in New York. The report illustrates how self-advocates' interests in enhancing QoL were distributed approximately evenly across home life, relationships, and community, while other groups (family members, direct support staff, and residence managers) were principally concerned about QoL as it pertained to home life. This finding speaks to the importance of querying people with intellectual disabilities personally when assessing QoL.
A fit person to be removed: personal accounts of life in a mental deficiency institution
- Authors:
- POTTS Maggie, FIDO Rebecca
- Publisher:
- Northcote House
- Publication year:
- 1991
- Pagination:
- 152p.
- Place of publication:
- Plymouth
17 long term residents speak about their experiences of institutional life and their ways of coping.
Giving voice to persons with intellectual disabilities about family quality of life
- Authors:
- CORREIA Raquel Alveirinho, SEABRA-SANTOS Maria Joao, PINTO Paula Campos
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 14(1), 2017, pp.59-67.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The major purpose of this study was to give voice to persons with intellectual disabilities (ID), and to explore their perspectives about their family quality of life (FQoL). Four focus groups were conducted with 17 men and women with ID (mild and moderate), aged between 16 and 53 years old. Full transcriptions of the focus group discussions were analyzed with the NVivo 10 software. The findings showed that persons with ID identify family relationships as the most important dimension for FQoL and that some differences between younger and older participants existed. Ethical and practical challenges, as well as the implications for research and intervention are discussed. The inclusion of individuals with ID as informants in research is a way to value their point of view, empower them, and recognise the knowledge that they are able to bring to research. (Edited publisher abstract)
Life support: the difference between a daily existence and a fulfilling life
- Author:
- UNITED RESPONSE
- Publisher:
- United Response
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 15p.
- Place of publication:
- London
The Campaigns Panel is an informal network of people with disabilities or mental health needs who are supported by United Response as well as their relatives. This report has been produced by members of the Campaign Panel who have a learning disability and support need, or are relatives to someone who has. The report explores what good support means to people with learning disabilities and why it is crucial that any reforms to social care lead to better quality support. The participants were asked about what support meant to them, what they liked to do in life, what their views were, and what their thoughts were on the future. The report is illustrated throughout with quotes and visual images.
People with an intellectual disability living in an intentional community
- Authors:
- RANDELL M., CUMELA S.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 53(8), August 2009, pp.716-726.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Hospital closure programmes in England have generally sought to attain a fulfilling life for people with an intellectual disability by locating them in domestic-style housing in urban settings. Few have been placed in intentional or 'village' communities. Yet comparative studies of different housing types have found that intentional communities have better or similar outcomes for their residents than dispersed housing or residential clusters on former hospital sites. A possible explanation is the distinctive pattern of social relationships that exist in many intentional communities and the impact this has on the lives of their residents. This paper reports the results of research that explores the perceptions of people with an ID living in an intentional community and the meaning of their community to them. The research used an ethnographic approach to interview a sample of 15 residents in a large intentional community (Botton Village), which is part of the Camphill Movement. Interviews used Makaton, pictures and symbols where required. Respondents included 10 men and 5 women aged between 38 and 78 years. Length of residence in Botton Village ranged from 5 to 50 years. All lived with the families of co-workers and valued these relationships. All but one (who had retired) worked in a diverse range of employment in the village. Almost all were positive about their work. Respondents reported that they took part in both individual and communal leisure activities and all but two had a network of friends. Opportunities for friendship were enhanced by proximity to other people with an ID and a sense of personal security in the village. As in many villages and communities in society in general, these advantages were balanced by some loss of privacy. Results confirm those from earlier studies of intentional communities and suggest that positive outcomes derive from the absence of the overt subordination of residents to staff, the facilitation of friendship with other people with an ID, high levels of meaningful employment and a sense of community. These factors contrast with the experience of living in small homes funded on a contractual basis by public authorities, in which cost pressures reduce wage levels for staff resulting in difficulties in retaining suitable staff and a consequent high staff turnover.
A yes man no more
- Author:
- WEBSTER Keith
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, July 2008, pp.32-34.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
The author, a man with learning disabilities, explains how he received an individual budget through an In Control voluntary pilot scheme, and the difference it has made to his life. Virginia, Keith’s mother, also gives her views of how individual budgets has helped her son.
Moral positioning: service user experiences of challenging behaviour in learning disability services
- Author:
- STEVENS Martin
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 36(6), September 2006, pp.955-978.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Several studies have indicated the importance of challenging behaviour as a limiting factor on quality of life. This article presents the findings of research that aimed to investigate adults with learning disabilities’ understanding and experiences of what is perceived by staff and services to be challenging behaviour. This study was the final phase of research involving Interviews, group discussions and observations were carried out with twenty-six people with learning disabilities using social services’ residential and day services. Participants were able to articulate complex responses about challenging behaviour, which is characterized as a ‘moral web’: a complex network of antecedents, behaviours and consequences. Social care staff were seen by participants to play a key role: protecting people and ensuring that appropriate (negative) consequences were suffered by instigators of challenging behaviour. These findings are interpreted within a positioning theory perspective, suggesting the importance of understanding the ways that challenging behaviour is constructed through social interaction. Implications in the following areas are discussed: developing practice; the role of social care staff; and the study of challenging behaviour as a social phenomenon.
Aspirations of people with intellectual disabilities living in a care organization
- Authors:
- BENOOT Toon, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work, 22(4), 2022, pp.1105-1122.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Summary: This article presents the results of a research project involving 10 people with intellectual disabilities concerning their idea of "a good life" in a residential care setting, within a context of personal budgets. We introduce the capability approach as a framework for focusing on the opportunities personal budgets offer for people with intellectual disabilities. We make use of qualitative interviews following a photovoice project in which people with intellectual disabilities documented their lives in order to research what they deem valuable and aspire to. Findings: In the analysis section, we present the elements which the participants identified as limiting and enhancing for imagining their future. From their stories, we learn that their aspirations are nourished by the encounters and social bonds that they engage in within a residential care context. The results make clear that the use of money offers opportunities to elaborate on what is already known and enables the realization of aspirations, while interactions with significant others more often than not encourage participants to explore and try out changes and thus further develop people's set of aspirations. Applications: In drawing the discussion to a close, we explore the implications these stories might have for understanding the role of aspirations in the practice of care and support for people with intellectual disabilities. The findings encourage us to think about a relational pedagogy and to address this in the practices of personal budgets. (Edited publisher abstract)
Learning disability: Improving Lives programme
- Author:
- WALES. Welsh Government
- Publisher:
- Welsh Government
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- 22
- Place of publication:
- Cardiff
This review was set up to better understand whether people with a learning disability in Wales have what they need to lead successful lives and to examine how services could be strengthened. It involved a desk top review of information and meetings with over 2,000 people, including people with a learning disability, parents and carers. The review took a life course approach and maps key issues, risk and protective factors for: Early years, Adolescence, Early adulthood, Mid life and Later life. The recommendations are focused on the Prosperity for All five cross cutting themes of: early years, housing, social care, health, and education and employment. The findings from the experts by experience are that there are pockets of good practice and strong services, however, too many have to fight for support to enable them to have an ordinary life. The three priorities of the recommendations are: to reduce health inequalities, improve community integration, and to enable improved strategic and operational planning and access to services. (Edited publisher abstract)
A 10-year plan for quality living for people with disabilities and their carers
- Authors:
- CRAIG Jocelyn E., CARTWRIGHT Collen
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43(4), 2015, pp.302-309.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: The concerns of older carers of an adult with disabilities have been well documented. The sudden incapacity or death of the carer can result in a crisis response rather than a planned transition to a chosen sustainable alternative care arrangement for the person with disability. Building on previous ‘Futures Planning’ projects, the aim of this project was to enrich the lives of people with disabilities and their carers whilst ensuring that their wishes for the future are documented to provide security. Materials and Methods: This article reports on information sessions and workshops that were held for people with disabilities, their carers and staff, and the training sessions for staff for this project. Results: The sessions underlined the fact that people with disabilities want to enjoy the same experiences that most other people enjoy. Drawing on the ideas and suggestions from participants, the ‘Futures Planning’ documents were modified to meet the aims of the Quality Living project, making them suitable for planning for quality living for the carer and the person with a disability for the next 10 years. Conclusions: Findings supported the concept that planning allows people with disabilities and their carers to take steps to achieve their dreams. (Publisher abstract)