Learning disabilities and mental health: families’ experiences of hospitalisation
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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. 20, 4, 26-29. 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

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 03 November 2016

Accepted: 23 March 2017

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