SCA Annual Lecture

The Social Care Association are to hold their fourth consecutive annual lecture in Scotland on 23rd November. The keynote speaker, at what is now entitled the Dr Ian Mallinson Memorial Lecture, will be Diana Kerr, Research Fellow at the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships, Edinburgh University.

Diana’s topic for the evening will be ‘What if it is pain?’ – do people with dementia and in particular people with a learning disability and dementia get their pain needs met?

The lecture will be chaired by ADSW president David Crawford and takes place at the King James, Thistle Hotel, 107 Leith Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3SW. While the event is free of charge for delegates pre-booking is essential as numbers are limited and the organisers recommend arrival at 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start.

The Speaker
Diana Kerr’s area of research and emphasis is predominantly in the field of learning disability and dementia but she is also currently working on an action research project which is concerned with ‘Supporting older people with and without dementia in care homes at night’. Diana is an advisor to service providers and planners who support people with a learning disability and dementia and is also a freelance trainer to direct care staff, managers, health and social work professionals, carers and people with a learning disability on the needs of people with dementia and in particular on the needs of people with a learning disability who have dementia.

Previously Diana was the Course leader for the MSc in Dementia Studies at the University of Stirling and worked as a social worker before becoming a lecturer on the Diploma in Social Work and is the author of a number of publications on dementia and learning disability and dementia.

The Topic – ‘What if it is pain?’
This research study explored the pain management needs of people with a learning disability who have dementia. People with a learning disability are living longer, this increased longevity brings with it the conditions and illnesses of older age; dementia is one of these. It is known that amongst people in the general population who have dementia there is inadequate pain recognition and treatment. This research identified similar trends in pain management amongst people with a learning disability and dementia.

The research explored the knowledge and practice in relation to pain recognition and management amongst direct support staff, members of community learning disability teams and General Practitioners. Understanding and experiences of pain amongst people with a learning disability and dementia were also explored. The research identified the dilemmas and obstacles to effective pain management. It also identified examples of good practice.

It was found that the pain experiences and management of people with a learning disability who have dementia mirrored findings in relation to people in the general population. The research did, however, identify extra and compounding issues in relation to people with a learning disability. It makes clear recommendations for practitioners and service providers.

The Event
Care Appointments is delighted to be a supporter of the Dr Ian Mallinson Memorial Lecture and would recommend that interested parties reserve their place as soon as possible by contacting Brian Corrigan at the Social Care Association at one of the following:

Tel: 0141 889 6667
Email: [email protected]