Understanding Self-Neglect : A Guide for Health and Social Care Professionals

This book will assist health and social care professionals to improve and open up further awareness of the characteristics of self-neglect. The perspectives of professionals and public, associated policy, legal and practice is presented in a relevant and accessible format. By taking the reader on a series of self-neglecting journeys from past to present, it explores conversations, both between professionals and members of the public. At any given time, anyone could be assessed as self-neglecting and thus becoming a self-neglecter. The aim and expectation seeks to enable the reader to get closer to this health and social care category. Human rights issues, the ‘best practice’ principles around personalization and capacity, reflection on interventions, and an alternative care model will all be discussed and analysed. The inclusion of a case-study (vignette) with open-ended questions and prompts, offers the reader a valuable opportunity to ‘get’ involved and can be used individually, peer-support (group), for Continued Professional Development (CPD) or in educations settings. Offering an honest, open and thought provoking means to get closer to a subject matter which can often be viewed with bewilderment, unease and complexity as to how situations have come about, have been allowed to continue and what action needs to be taken. The content covers a wide range of material, and will be of interest to all professionals in health and social care as well as legal professionals, institutions (governing), and environmental health and housing officers.