Learning disabilities and mental health: families' experiences of hospitalisation
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence & Practice    

Learning disabilities and mental health: families' experiences of hospitalisation

Joseph Jan Szablowski Psychological well-being and mental health MSc student, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, England

Experiential research on the phenomenon of hospitalisation is a well-established field of study. This article argues that family members of people who have been hospitalised and have diagnoses of learning disabilities and mental health disorders are under-represented in this area of research. There is a wide range of literature to suggest that family members of people with this dual diagnosis experience unique responsibilities, challenges and difficulties due to the nature of their caregiving. It is therefore important to explore how these people - who often dedicate much of their life to caring for their relative - experience the hospitalisation of their family member and the subsequent loss of responsibility for 24-hour care. This article explores the research in this area and gives practical recommendations for improving professional practice.

Learning Disability Practice. doi: 10.7748/ldp.2017.e1814

Correspondence

josephszablowski@gmail.com

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

Received: 03 November 2016

Accepted: 23 March 2017

Published online: 11 July 2017

Your organisation does not have access to this article
Recommend to your librarian
RCNi-Plus
Already have access? Log in

OR

3-month trial offer for �5.25/month

Subscribe today and save 50% on your first three months
RCNi Plus users have full access to the following benefits:
  • Unlimited access to all 10 RCNi Journals
  • RCNi Learning featuring over 175 modules to easily earn CPD time
  • NMC-compliant RCNi Revalidation Portfolio to stay on track with your progress
  • Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
  • A customisable dashboard with over 200 topics
Subscribe

Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now


Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more