Caring for the Physical and Mental Health of People with Learning Disabilities

Citation

(2012), "Caring for the Physical and Mental Health of People with Learning Disabilities", Social Care and Neurodisability, Vol. 3 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/scn.2012.56103aaa.002

Caring for the Physical and Mental Health of People with Learning Disabilities

Article Type: Resource reviews From: Social Care and Neurodisability, Volume 3, Issue 1

Perry, D., Hammond, L., Marstn, G., Gaskell, S., and Eva. J.,2011,Jessica Kingsley Publishers,London,176 pages,ISBN: 9781849050180

Reviewed by Naresh MallSocial Worker and Approved Mental Health Practitioner in Adult Mental Health Services

This book is aimed at carers, family and professionals of people with learning disabilities and has been written as a specific guide to assist with their mental and physical health care needs, areas which are often overlooked in this population of service users. The book attempts to provide information that might redress these needs and contains useful information and prompts for those providing a range of support and care.

Generally this book contains a good series of chapters covering a wide range of related areas addressing general information and guidance on mental health and physical health. There is information about how learning disabilities are defined and assessed. This helpful book structure commences with general guidance around the diagnosis of learning disabilities before moving on to address more general areas of mental health and physical health. For those readers who are interested in more complex information, there is a comprehensive appendix which also includes a glossary of terms referring to those used in the relevant book chapters.

In the second half of the book, the authors delve into more specific areas of care for example those associated with sleep, swallowing and autism, which may be common in some people with learning disabilities and which people may wish to know more about. The third and final section provides a helpful guide to resources and services and how a carer can access services, including an explanation of some of the key legislation that covers the physical and mental health needs of service users.

In general, this book provides a very good quality basic guide and it has been made accessible for its potential audience, by striking a good balance and pitch to meet the information required by carers and families and practitioners. The wide array of checklists within it will help carers to recognise signs and symptoms of physical and mental health issues and enhance more accurate care planning. The often jargonized approaches used in books of this type are deliberately avoided. The authors make a concerted approach to explanation in accessible forms. The structure and the content all conform to aid this. The authors have managed to provide a simple framework through which one can appreciate the complexity and nuances of care for this particular user group. In maintaining this simple approach, it has great utility for practice rather than just purely academic that would have limited utility. However, it does not offer much to researchers in this respect.

Overall, the book achieves its endeavour to provide a resources guide supporting people with learning disabilities by providing basic information and guidance. The check lists are a helpful source in consideration of implementing issues identified in the body of the chapters. It is a basic guide that I would recommend as it has good summaries of the material addressed and useful tables highlighting key points. It provides a reference resource with practical information which should enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities. It succeeds in its aim to promote holistic provision of care that takes into account the diet, legal framework, and physical health needs such as exercise in addition to ensuring that mental health needs are not neglected. For someone like me working in Mental Health Services, I would certainly refer to it in my own practice area when working with people with learning disabilities to help improve multi-disciplinary working around their care needs.

If you are interested in writing a review of a book, training resource or website for Social Care and Neurodisability or if you would like to suggest a resource suitable for review then please contact the Reviews Editor, Trish Hafford-Letchfield by email: p.hafford-letchfield@mdx.ac.uk or phone: +44 (0)20 8318 6211.