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Health Care Professionals
There was no focus group held.
Service Needs
Guidelines
Resources for Health Care Professionals:
Service Needs [Top]
Although a focus group was not held with this sector, the
following service gaps and challenges have been identified through the
work of Speak Up:
- Most health care practitioners do not receive information through
academic training or professional development on issues related to disability,
sexuality, and abuse. As a result, practitioners may lack an understanding
of issues related to these topics when supporting AAC users.
- General practice health care providers and wellness educators may
lack general and specific health information that is relevant to people
with disabilities and specifically to people who use AAC.
- There is a paucity of accessible of health education and services
for adults who use AAC.
- Traditional methods of distributing health information such as internet
and phone services, text based pamphlets and books are often not available
or accessible to people who use AAC.
- Students who use AAC may not be provided with general health information
in the school system.
- AAC users typically do not have access to the vocabulary and the
support they require to communicate about their health care needs with
their service providers.
- Health care providers/educators are not trained and may have limited
experience communicating with AAC users.
- Traditional medical/health interventions use a great deal of jargon
and this may create barriers for some AAC users.
- AAC users may not be informed about what different health/ wellness
services can offer them.
- Health care practitioners/educators are typically not involved in
preventative models including wellness and stress management for AAC
users.
Guidelines for Health Care
Professionals [Top]
- Health care professionals may require information and training
on health, sexuality and abuse issues for youth and adults who have disabilities.
- Health care professionals may need training and/or support in
communicating with people who uses AAC; guidelines on when and how to
use an AAC interpreter; when and how to access an AAC consultant/Speech
Language Pathologist.
- Health care information should be accessible to people who use AAC.
- Health educators could ensure sexual health education reaches youth
with disabilities in both segregated and integrated classrooms. They
could work closely with the AAC user’s team (family, teachers
and communication clinicians) in order to ensure effective teaching
and communication strategies.
- Service agencies that provide health care should accommodate the accessibility
needs of AAC users in all aspects of their work. In cases where physical
accessibility is an issue, agencies should investigate innovative partnerships
and outreach services.
- AAC users need information about their health and the means to communicate
about their health concerns.
- Health care providers/educators should be informed of community resources
for AAC users, know when and how to advocate on behalf of an AAC user,
and how to support AAC users in decision making etc.
- Health care providers/educators could play a significant role in improving
the mental health and wellness of AAC users.
Speak Up Resources to Support
Health Care Professionals: [Top]
[Top]
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