TY - JOUR
T1 - Developing awareness of deafblindness in health and social care provision for older people
AU - Ling, Jonathan
AU - Watson, Patricia
AU - Sutton, David
AU - Quinn, Bernard
PY - 2017/7/31
Y1 - 2017/7/31
N2 - Deafblindness is most prevalent in later life, with 87% of those with more severe dual
sensory impairment aged 60 or over (Robertson & Emerson, 2010). The difficulties with
communication and mobility caused by deafblindness are particularly profound for those in later
life, where acquired communication disorders often coexist with difficulties in independent living,
access to support and social isolation (Pavey, et al., 2009). Social isolation, which is a negative
outcome in its own right, also means that people with dual sensory impairment may not be known
to those health and social care services which could provide support for them. When deafblindness
is under-recorded, it is likely that there will also be under-provision of appropriate services for
people who are deafblind. Therefore, identifying people who are deafblind within the community
is crucial to both the delivery of necessary support and the appropriate assessment of the level of
support needed across a community.
AB - Deafblindness is most prevalent in later life, with 87% of those with more severe dual
sensory impairment aged 60 or over (Robertson & Emerson, 2010). The difficulties with
communication and mobility caused by deafblindness are particularly profound for those in later
life, where acquired communication disorders often coexist with difficulties in independent living,
access to support and social isolation (Pavey, et al., 2009). Social isolation, which is a negative
outcome in its own right, also means that people with dual sensory impairment may not be known
to those health and social care services which could provide support for them. When deafblindness
is under-recorded, it is likely that there will also be under-provision of appropriate services for
people who are deafblind. Therefore, identifying people who are deafblind within the community
is crucial to both the delivery of necessary support and the appropriate assessment of the level of
support needed across a community.
M3 - Article
SP - 27
EP - 32
JO - Deafblind Review
JF - Deafblind Review
ER -