This page is designed to answer the following questions:
- 1.2 Explain how multiple conditions and/or disabilities may have additional impacts on individuals’ wellbeing and quality of life (Level 2 Diploma in Care, Contribute to the support of individuals with multiple conditions and/or disabilities)
Individuals with multiple conditions and/or disabilities can face additional challenges to their wellbeing and quality of life.
Many disabilities and conditions reduce an individuals independence and they must rely on others to help them complete daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning and personal hygiene. This can result in them having a lower self-worth and self-esteem as well having a negative affect on their general wellbeing.
Therefore it is essential that care staff work in a person-centred way to ensure that individuals maintain as much independence as possible.
Living with additional conditions can make the original condition harder to manage and vice versa. For example, if an individual has COPD, which prevents them from doing anything too strenuous but has also developed obesity, they will find it very difficult to lose weight through exercise. Similarly, if an individual with a learning disability develops diabetes then they may not be able to understand why their diet must be changed which could lead to a refusal to eat, continuing to eat high sugary items despite the health risks or other behaviours.
Multiple conditions can often result in an individual having to administer several different medications to themselves each day.