[Assessment of families' need of social life support for persons with intellectual disabilities and physical handicaps].
To study the need for community support for the users of facilities for people with intellectual disabilities and physical handicaps, the author surveyed facility users' families using a mail-in questionnaire. The International Classification of Functioning, Disabilities and Health (ICF) guidelines were used to describe each user. Younger users were found to achieve the best ICF levels of social participation, while rehabilitation facilities and workshops attracted a larger number of adults with fixed participation whose performance level was equivalent to their capacity. In the latter group, the users' families requested accommodation at a group home and the continuous use of the facilities. Among the respondents, a demand for medical support was common, regardless of the type of facilities being used. To support self-decision and the full participation of users, the supervisors of facilities must coordinate their own needs with those of users and their families and provide improved medical support.
Horiguchi
Toshihiro
T
National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo. horigti@ncnp-k.go.jp
D002648:Child; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires