An event part of the PCPLD Network Seminar series
About this Event
Title: Finding the words: assessing distress and discomfort in people with difficulty communicating
How do you know when someone is distressed, and how can you assess whether they are in pain or discomfort, if they cannot tell you about it?
Claud Regnard (Honorary Consultant in Palliative Medicine at St Oswald’s Hospice in Newcastle), Dorothy Matthews (Macmillan Nurse for people with learning disabilities in Northumberland) and Lynn Gibson (volunteer trainer at St Oswald’s Hospice) developed the Distress and Discomfort Assessment Tool (DisDAT).
In this webinar, they will discuss both the thinking behind this tool, and its practical use with people with learning disabilities. We also hear from Amanda Cresswell (who has learning disabilities and has recovered from cancer) about her experiences with medical assessments.
This session will be of interest for anyone supporting people with learning disabilities through illness and changing health needs, and will be especially useful for healthcare staff who are less familiar with assessing people with severe communication difficulties.