Groups that have a higher risk of becoming vulnerable include, children, people with learning and physical disabilities, people suffering with mental health problems, chronically ill people and the elderly. Age concern (1986) defines vulnerability in the elderly as ‘people in need of some support, help and/or advice in order to prevent personal or social deterioration or breakdown. Without this their level of dependency on others or their ability to manage their lives as they wish, might deteriorate to the point of necessitating their removal to institutional care, which is not their preferred option and might otherwise be prevented or postponed (page 11).’ This statement is proven in my clinical experience. Whilst on placement on a busy acute medical ward, at a local hospital, I helped to care for an elderly lady, whom I shall refer to as Mrs Berry. Mrs Berry was 87 and had been admitted to hospital following a fall
As dementia progresses, the ability of someone to look after themselves from day to day may also become affected. 1.3 Why depression, delirium and age related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia : signs, symptoms, behaviour, diagnosis, medication Outcome 2: Understand Key Features of the Theoretical Models of Dementia 2.1 The medical model of dementia: Here the person is seen as being ill or having a condition (referred to as the disability) and is in need of some form of treatment. In this model, or view, of disability the illness or condition is said to be seen first and the person second. 2.2 The social model of dementia: This model concentrates on the person as a valued member of a very diverse society. It suggests that the person is a unique individual who has the right to the same opportunities in housing, education, transport and facilities as anyone else.
Some sociologists argue that the body and disability are cause by the medical model; the medical model describes a disabled person as someone with physical or mental disabilities and says that the body is explained in terms of biology or genetics. However the body and disability can also be seen as socially constructed which suggests that they are created by society, it would suggest that disability is because of the introduction of industrialisation or people being stigmatised and would say that the body is due to the media or attitudes of society. An argument that shows disability can be seen as socially constructed is that the idea of the dependant disabled person is a recent historical event. For example before the industrial revolution disabled people were not seen a separate group with different needs from everybody else. But the introduction of physical work due to industrialisation, meant people with impairments could not do certain types of work.
What does it mean to be normal? What does it mean to be handicapped? How would you feel if one day you woke up and realized that you had lost your ability to see, hear, walk, or speak? There are people who are born with disabilities and others who obtain them over time. These very disabilities effect the way people look at both themselves and the world around them.
Why do some people object to the term ‘mental illness’? To understand the complexity of the term ‘mental illness’, it is necessary to explore a diverse range of perspectives on varying topics that often arise within the ‘world’ of mental health. Using the elements of the K225 course model as a basis for exploration, this essay shall aim to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the individual experiences that could lead to possible reasons why, some people may not be in favour of the term ‘mental illness’. (Unit 1, p.19). The ‘world’ of mental health briefly consists of people, services, policy, and legislation.
2.3 Describe the medical and social models of disability The Medical Model of Disability The disability is the focus. A society that separates, creating "special” facilities away from community life. This model focuses on the lack of physical, sensory or mental functioning, and uses a clinical way of describing an individual’s disability. There are certain ‘norms’ in development and in functioning against which the person is judged – the focus is on what they cannot do, rather than what they can do. This model defines and categorises disabled people by their impairment, and it casts the individual person as “the victim” or “the problem”.
1.3 Critically analyse the difference between the social model and medical model of disability and how each model affects the provision. Medical model of disability is defines as the disability to be a medical problem. They concentrate on the disability rather than the child and young person’s individual needs. Each of the disabled children and young people are labelled according to their impairment or differences. The children and the young people will have medical treatment to eradicate the problem or they are excluded from the ‘normal’ society and will have a solitary life at their home or specialised institution where they cannot have a quality of life but just their basic needs are met.
Q1 Explain the social and medical models of disability and the impact of each on practice The medical model of disability views disability as a ‘problem’ that belongs to the disabled individual. It is not seen as an issue to concern anyone other than the individualaffected. For example, if a wheelchair using student is unable to get into a building because of some steps, the medical model would suggest that this is because of the wheelchair, rather than the steps. The medical model approach is based on a belief that the difficulties associated with the disability should be borne wholly by the disabled person, and that the disabled person should make extra effort (perhaps in time and/or money) to ensure that they do not inconvenience anyone else. The social model of disability, in contrast, would see the steps as the disabling barrier.
Champion equality ,diversity, and inclusion Explain the models of practice that underpin equality, diversity and inclusion in your own area of responsibility In my area of responsibility I would like to pin point two specifics models of practice the first one is the social model of mental health, many patients have been suffering with discrimination and prejudice demonstrated in today’s society, in which the need for each other has not been taken seriously or the environment where they live. The stigma of mental health patients still plays a very difficult role in power of those who need to be looked after and by their relatives. The social model focuses on whom is the mental health person as a individual, not to their diagnosis and lack of understanding of the world , it also focuses on how to support and empower the individual to have a better life and lead an independent life , supported by a society that understands the patients with mental health needs. The second is the medical model of care, that views adults with mental health with difficulties or lacking in some ways, this model focuses in acknowledging ways to give better treatment and therapy, to also focus on identifying, diagnosing and controlling the condition in the best way possible with a strong medical and clinical support. I have
Building on this work, others (notably Marshall, 2004) have advocated that dementia should be regarded as a disability and framed within a social model. The social model, as developed in relation to disability, understands disability not as an intrinsic characteristic of the individual, but as an outcome produced by social processes of exclusion. Thus, disability is not something that exists purely at the level of individual psychology, but is a condition created by a combination of social and material factors including income and financial support, employment, housing, transport and the built environment (Barnes et al., 1999). From the perspective of the social model, people with dementia may have an impairment (perhaps of cognitive function) but their disability results from the way they are treated by, or excluded from, society. For people with dementia, this model carries important implications, for example: ● the condition is not the ‘fault’ of the individual ● the focus is on the skills and capacities the person retains rather than