Disability Care

In the UK there are over 11 million people living with a disability. Disabilities vary greatly in their presentation and the amount of care and support needed depends on each individual. Caring for someone with a disability can be stressful. Here at Harley Street Care we provide bespoke disability care in London for individuals with various support needs.

Disability

Living with disability

In the UK there are over 11 million people living with a disability. These disabilities vary greatly in their presentation. The Equality Act (2010) says that a person can be regarded as living with a disability if:

They have a physical or mental impairment.
The impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
It is a fact that the older we become, the more likely we are to suffer the effects of disability. Approximately 16% of working-age adults live with a disability but this increases dramatically to 45% of those past state pension age.There is anethical responsibility, on us all, to ensure that those of us with disabilities are recognised as having an inherent dignity and a desire for independence.Disability should not be a barrier to a life lived well, nor to equality.

A guide for dealing with disabilites

To find out more about how we can help you call 0207 989 0990 or email us at info@harleystreetcare.com or contact us online here

Physical Disabilities

Physical disabilities are those that we most often associate with disability. This is sometimes because of a physical disability presenting in a way that others can notice more easily:

A person may:

Use mobility aids
Have obvious signs of restricted movement

However, physical disabilities can also present in a way that makes it difficult, or impossible, for others to notice.

With a little knowledge of some of the most common causes of physical disability, we can better understand the effects that those disabilities may have on the daily life of those living with them.

Something that is too often overlooked is that physical disability is a symptom of a cause.

Do you, or someone you care about, live with a disability?

Here at Harley Street Care we know that life can sometimes be difficult.

If you are a person experiencing disability you may find you need a little extra help but don’t know who to ask.

At Harley Street Care we believe that everyone should be able to live their life to its fullest potential. We should not, and must not, allow a disability to become a barrier to living life.

With an ethical approach to all we do at Harley Street Care, we make it our mission to provide our clients with the support they need to live as independently as possible. We want to make a positive difference to your own, or your loved one’s, life.

Whatever your care or support requirements we aim to provide you with just what you need to begin your future in the best way for you.

To find out more about how we can help you call 0207 989 0990 or email us at info@harleystreetcare.com or contact us online here

Physical Disabilities

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

An injury that has happened to the brain (or spinal cord) after birth. The causes of an ABI are numerous and may include: traumatic head injury, a stroke, or a tumour. The effects of an ABI can vary, from minor impairment of a person’s normal functionality to a more devastating disability.

An acquired brain injury can cause:

As with all disabilities, acquired brain injuries affect people in ways that are unique to them only. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ care-package for those experiencing difficulties. With this is mind, it is important that a person leaving hospital with an ABI has a care plan put in place to specifically address their individual needs and preferences.

Arthritis

As a musculoskeletal condition, arthritis can affect people at any age, however, it more commonly affects older people. Arthritis is term that is used to denote inflammation in the joints and it often presents as one of two types:

Osteoarthritis : Affecting 8 million people in the UK
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Affecting around 400,000 people

Depending on the type of arthritis you have, you may experience a range of symptoms that affect your both your enjoyment of life and your mobility.

Common symptoms are:

Joint pain, tenderness and stiffness
Inflammation in and around the joints
Restricted movement of the joints
Warm, red skin over the affected joint
Weakness and muscle wasting

Arthritis can get progressively worse with age and can have a serious effect on mobility. In these circumstances, people may require additional support in their day-to-day activities.

Cerebral Palsy (CP)

Cerebral Palsy is a condition that can occur during foetal development, during birth, or, immediately after birth. People with cerebral palsy vary greatly regarding the level of disability they experience. Affecting the parts of the brain that are responsible for muscle control, people with CP typically experience difficulty with movement.

There may be:

Muscle stiffness (hypertonia)
Muscle floppiness (hypotonia)
Uncontrolled body movements
Problems with balance and co-ordination

Whilst some people with Cerebral Palsy may experience related learning difficulties and/or physical barriers to effective communication, many are not intellectually affected by their disability.

Cerebral Palsy is a life-long condition and though many people with CP learn to manage their disability well, they may require additional assistance with some aspects of their living.

Muscular Dystrophies (MD)

A group of inherited genetic conditions that cause a deterioration of the muscle. MD varies greatly in its severity and as such can be barely noticeable or cause considerable immobility. In the UK there are 70,000 people living with MD, or a related condition.

As with any disability, physical disability increases the possibility that one may require assistance with their living. This assistance may be from time-to-time or for 24 hours a day – no two people with disabilities are the same.

Physical disability can also be experienced as a restriction of the proper enjoyment of the senses.

Sensory and Learning Disabilities

Visual Impairment

Visual impairment affects about 2 million people in the UK. Of this number, many have potentially reversible cataracts whilst others have correctable refractive errors.

Around 360,000 people in the UK are registered as blind or partially sighted. These people experience severe, or total, loss of sight which is irreversible.

1 in 5 people over 75 are affected by sight loss. This number rises to 1 in 2 people over the age of 90
There is a link between sight loss and reduced wellbeing. Over one-third of older people with sight loss are also living with depression
Two-thirds of working aged people who are registered as blind or partially sighted are not in paid employment

Being diagnosed with a visual disability can cause many different emotions; shock, grief, anxiety and a fear of what the future holds are all common.

Whether in the early days of a diagnosis or later on, there are many organisations which can provide excellent support and assistance for people experiencing any type of visual impairment.

Whilst it’s important that those who are registered as blind or partially sighted maintain their independence and autonomy, it may be that they feel that they need a little extra support to carry on living life to their full enjoyment.

Deafness and Hearing Loss

Hearing loss happens to many of us at some point in our lives, affecting approximately one in six people. Older people are most commonly affected by hearing loss and, here in the UK, around 4 out of 10 people over the age of 50 experience difficulty hearing.

Hearing loss occurs when there is a fault with the sensory signals from the ears reaching the brain. There are two types of hearing loss:

Sensorineural: – This type of hearing loss is experienced when the sensitive hair cells of the inner ear have been damaged or when there is damage to the auditory nerve. This type of hearing loss becomes more common as we age.

Conductive: – Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is a barrier to sounds passing from the outer ear to the inner ear. This could be because of a blockage, a perforated ear drum, or a disorder in the development of the ear.

Deafness can also be an inherited condition which affects a child from birth. Regardless of the severity, or the type of hearing loss a person experiences, there are many ways that people can cope with their disability. With the right support, people with hearing loss can live life with as few restrictions as possible.

Learning disability (LD)

A learning disability is recognised as an impairment of the intellectual functioning of a person. Ranging from very mild, to severe and profound, learning disabilities affect around 1.5 million people in the UK.

People with mild learning disabilities may function very well and need little additional support in their daily lives. However, those with severe disability may require up to 24-hour care.

Learning disabilities are caused by abnormal development of the brain, either before birth or in early childhood. They can occur for a whole host of reasons:

A mother becoming ill during pregnancy
Inheriting certain genes
Restricted oxygen during birth
Early childhood meningitis
Epilepsy – 30% of people with epilepsy also have a LD
Downs syndrome
Alongside cerebral palsy
Autism – some people with autism also have a related LD

Regardless of the cause or severity of a learning disability there are ever increasing ways of accessing support and assistance to help you cope.

58,000 people across the UK access day care services. However, 7 out of 10 families with a member with profound and multiple learning disabilities admit to reaching crisis point due to a lack of respite services. With this in mind, it is important that adequate resources are available for those with learning disabilities, and their families.

Here at Harley Street Care your life, best lived, is our priority.

To find out more about how we can help you call 0207 989 0990 or email us at info@harleystreetcare.com or contact us online here

Disability Care

Disability

A guide for dealing with disabilites

Physical Disabilities

Do you, or someone you care about, live with a disability?

Physical Disabilities

Sensory and Learning Disabilities

Here at Harley Street Care your life, best lived, is our priority.

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