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ERIC Number: EJ1422621
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Jun
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1354-4187
EISSN: EISSN-1468-3156
'We Became Their Beginning, Their Middle and Their End'
Michelle Murphy; Anne-Marie Martin
British Journal of Learning Disabilities, v52 n2 p225-235 2024
Background: Communicating with people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities is essential for person-centred, rights-based support. Despite a proliferation of research around COVID-19, there is a dearth of evidence exploring its impact on communication with people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities. This study aimed to explore disability support staff experiences of communicating with people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities through the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was undertaken. A purposive sample of six disability support staff who supported people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities through the pandemic in four Irish residential services participated in online, semistructured interviews. Data were analysed thematically. Findings: Six themes were generated including unwavering commitment; running on empty; being a safe haven; empathic understanding; heightened sensitivity and new insights. Participants discussed the impact of COVID-19 on communicating with people they support, the contextual challenges, how these were managed/overcome and new learning that emerged. Although communication challenges did present because of COVID-19 restrictions, communication remained a priority. Conclusions: Despite the challenges experienced by disability support workers, their unwavering commitment to ensuring the well-being of people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities was identified. This was a small-scale qualitative study but highlights areas warranting further research and makes recommendations for practice and service planning.
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ireland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A