People with specific needs

Question 1

Which specific needs do we look at?

Answer 1

Ill health, both physical and mental.
* Learning disabilities.
* Physical and sensory disabilities.
* Age categories to include:
o early years
o later adulthood

Question 2

What approach is used for supporting people with physical and mental illnesses?

Answer 2

A multi-disciplinary approach who aim to take a holistic approach to meet the needs of the whole person.

Question 3

What does MIND estimate about the number of people with mental health problems?

Answer 3

estimates that one in four people experience a mental health problem each year.

Question 4

Give some physical signs of stress

Answer 4

• Tiredness
• a feeling of tightness in the chest
• indigestion
• headaches
• appetite and weight changes
• joint and back pain

Question 5

Give some psychological signs of stress

Answer 5

• anxiety
• tearfulness
• feeling low
• mood changes
• indecision
• loss of motivation
• increased sensitivity
• low self-esteem

Question 6

Give some behavioural signs of stress

Answer 6

• Increased smoking or drinking
• Withdrawal or aggression
• lateness
• recklessness
• difficulty concentrating

Question 7

Why don’t people with mental health problems seek professional help?

Answer 7

▸▸ they may not regard themselves as mentally ill, perhaps they think they are just
having a hard time at the moment
▸▸ they might not want to admit that they have a mental health problem, some people feel that there is a particular stigma linked to mental illness that is not associated with physical illness
▸▸ they may be frightened to seek medical help, worried that being diagnosed as
depressed or phobic would affect their employment prospects. There is some basis
for this concern as people with mental health problems have the highest rate of
unemployment among people with disabilities.

Question 8

What is MENCAP?

Answer 8

The organisation that supports people with learning disabilities.

Question 9

How does MENCAP define learning disabilities?

Answer 9

‘as a reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities which affects someone for their whole life’.

Question 10

What difficulties might a person with a learning disability face?

Answer 10

• difficulties with regular household tasks
• shopping
• using public transport
• managing money

Question 11

What other conditions are people with learning difficulties likely to face?

Answer 11

• mental health problems
• people with Down’s syndrome often have heart problems and sight and hearing impairments
• dementia is much higher amongst adults with learning difficulties.

Question 11

What other conditions are people with learning difficulties likely to face?

Answer 11

• mental health problems
• people with Down’s syndrome often have heart problems and sight and hearing impairments
• dementia is much higher amongst adults with learning difficulties.

Question 12

What legislation links to learning disabilities?

Answer 12

Community Care Act 1990
Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Question 13

What has the Community Care Act done?

Answer 13

It has increased the number of people with learning disabilities who were cared for and supported in the community rather than in large institutions (rather than being invisible to the rest of society)

Question 14

What has the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 done?

Answer 14

Provided legal protection from discrimination in employment, access to buildings and in renting of accommodation.

Question 15

However what have MENCAP found?

Answer 15

In 2015:
- only 7% of adults with a learning disability are in paid employment, yet 65% want to work and have the capability to work.
- Of those people with a learning disability that do work, most only work part-time and are in low paid employment.
- only 1/3 of people with a learning disability take part in some form of education or training.

Question 16

Define impairment

Answer 16

physical or mental loss of function, whether permanent or temporary, that restricts an individual’s ability to perform daily activities independently.

Question 17

What is a sensory impairment?

Answer 17

A sensory impairment refers to a condition where a person’s sensory organs, for
example their eyesight or hearing, function abnormally poorly, which limits their
ability to perform day-to-day activities.

Question 18

What is a disabling environment?

Answer 18

A disabling environment describes a situation where appropriate adaptions and
services are not in place to support people with impairments. For example, a person with a hearing impairment is only disabled if they do not have access to a hearing aid. Or a person with a visual impairment does not have access to information in Braille, if this is the system of communication they prefer.

Question 19

Describe the poverty rate for adults with disabilities

Answer 19

The poverty rate for adults with disabilities is twice that for adults without a disability.

Question 20

Why is poverty more likely to occur for people with disabilities?

Answer 20

the high rate of unemployment among people with disabilities.

Question 21

How are children supported in early years?

Answer 21

Care and education services supporting children in early childhood are required to follow a curriculum, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum.

Question 22

What does the Early Years Foundation Stage do?

Answer 22

sets standards and measures progress from birth to 5 years of age. All schools and Ofsted-registered early-years providers must follow the EYFS. This includes childminders, pre-schools, nurseries and school reception classes. The EYFS covers seven key areas of learning and development, which together form a holistic model that addresses the development of the ‘whole child’.

Question 23

What are the EYFS areas of learning and development?

Answer 23

1 communication and language
2 physical development
3 personal, social and emotional development
4 literacy
5 mathematics
6 understanding the world
7 expressive arts and design

Question 24

When is early adulthood?

Answer 24

between the age of 18 and 40

Question 25

What is early adulthood associated with?

Answer 25

The cessation of physical maturation and is when the ageing process gradually begins.

Question 26

When is middle adulthood?

Answer 26

between the ages of 40 and 65

Question 27

What happens in middle adulthood?

Answer 27

people begin to notice a decline in their physical stamina. People begin to move and run more slowly than in previous years and their eyesight often deteriorates. There is a loss of skin elasticity, with an increase in wrinkles. Women will also experience the onset of the menopause.

Question 28

What is menopause?

Answer 28

stage in life, usually between the ages of 45 and 55, when a woman’s menstrual cycle gradually stops and she is no longer able to become pregnant naturally.

Question 28

Give examples of what happens to brain structure and intellect during later adulthood

Answer 28

there are changes in the brain structure that result in noticeably slower intellectual and physical reactions, poorer memory and less effective problem-solving skills.

Question 29

Give examples of what happens to physical development in later adulthood

Answer 29

Physical changes include poorer hearing and eyesight, a loss of muscle tissue leading to less strength and generally less stamina. Older people often experience changes in sleep patterns and their immune system is less efficient, making them prone to infections that take longer to clear.

Question 30

Explain how later adulthoods can be busy and active in retirement

Answer 30

They may contribute to community activities, extend their education, online or through attending courses, for example, and provide essential family support for their children and grandchildren.