title: Therapeutic caring: a learning disability experience.
abstract: This paper is a reflective account of our experiences of giving Therapeutic Touch (TT), for the first time within a learning disability setting, to a client who has profound learning disabilities. Using a case study approach, we share our story of this pathfinder journey of discovery and show how the process of reflection was instrumental in enabling us to gain insight on the unfolding therapeutic and caring relationship which we developed with this client. Issues relating to informed consent were addressed, however these were complex and needed special consideration. As client consent could not be achieved through verbal means we needed to draw on our senses and use intuitive skills together with team involvement. IntroducingTT into a learning disability setting was breaking new ground, and as this case study has shown it does appear to have the potential to enhance therapeutic caring.
authors.affiliation: University of Luton, Faculty of Health and Social Science, Department of Public Health and Primary Care Education Centre, High Wycombe, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nicoll
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D019124:Therapeutic Touch / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome