Individuals who misuse substances

Some people receive care and support who misuse or are recovering from the misuse of illegal or legal drugs and / or alcohol, to the point where it severely affects their physical and mental well-being.

The support received can happen at home, in the community, or in some cases in residential rehab.

Individuals with a sensory impairment

Sensory impairment is when one of your senses; sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste or spatial awareness, is no longer normal.

A person does not have to have full loss of a sense to be sensory impaired.

A person with a sensory impairment may need help to go about their day-to-day activities, at home and in the community.

Individuals with Mental Health issues

Mental health services support individuals with mental health needs. This could be lower level needs where the individual receives support at home, and some individuals with mental health needs may reside in a supported living setting or a residential care home setting.

The individual may need support with medication, as well as going about their day-to-day activities, build positive relationships in the community and support to achieve their personal goals.

Examples of mental health conditions are schizophrenia, eating disorders, PTSD, bipolar or depression. Not everyone who has a mental health condition requires care and support.

Individuals living with a Physical Disability

A physical disability is defined as a physical impairment, which has a substantial and long-term effect on your ability to carry out day-to-day activities. This could affect a person’s mobility, physical capacity, stamina or dexterity.

Some could have a physical disability a result of an injury of the brain or spinal cord, or other conditions such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy or multiple sclerosis.

Supporting an individual with a physical disability would vary from person to person based on their specific care needs. Someone who has a physical disability may need support in their own home or in a residential care home or nursing home.

Individuals living with a Learning Disability

A learning disability is the reduced ability and increased difficulty with everyday activities – for example household tasks, socialising or managing money. People with a learning disability tend to take longer to learn and may need support to develop new skills, understand complicated information and interact with other people.

There are different types of learning disability, which can be mild, moderate, severe or profound. Whatever type of learning disability a person has, it is a lifelong condition, and in some cases the individual  may also have a physical disability.

Supporting an individual with a learning disability focuses on promoting independence and integrating the individual into the community. Depending on the severity of their learning disability, the individual may need support with communication, personal care, mobility, and everyday tasks. It’s important to remember that with the right support, most people with a learning disability in the UK can lead independent lives.

End of Life or Palliative care

This is supporting people who receive care in the last years and months of their life.

They may have been diagnosed with an illness that cannot be cured, also known as a terminal illness.

Palliative care often involves personal, social and psychological support for the individual and their family members. It can involve making the individual feel comfortable in the last hours.

Individuals who are living with Dementia

Dementia is a progressive disease that affects 1 in 14 people over the age of 65.

There are various forms and causes of dementia, one of the most common being Alzheimer’s. Some symptoms of dementia include memory loss or difficulties with language and concentration. Dementia is caused by diseases which damage the brain by causing a loss of nerve cells.

Individuals who are living with dementia may struggle with certain parts of their day-to-day lives, and each person may have different symptoms. As it is progressive, it gets worse over time. An individual who has dementia may also express behaviours of distress, and may be unable to complete certain physical tasks such as using cutlery.

If you had a job caring and supporting individuals with dementia you would receive full training on the disease and how it affects the individual, so that you could provide the best care and support.

Older Adults

As people get older, they may become frail and require extra care and support to carry out day-to-day tasks.

This could be help with getting out of bed, getting dressed, going to the toilet and getting washed.

It could also include supporting an individual to attend appointments, shopping and social events.

It all depends on the needs of the person receiving care and support and what their own care plan includes.