Jan 4, 2015
How do we prevent and treat social isolation in MSers? #ClinicSpeak #MSBlog #MSResearch
“Yesterday I did a post on the disconnect between what the medical profession require medical students to know about MS and what MSers would like doctors to know. It set me off thinking is there something that we can do to change this. I came across this article on using personal narratives or autobiographies to teach medical students about MS. This is good way to explain to them the impact that having MS can have on an individual living in modern society.”
“It reminds me of someone in our neighbourhood who has MS. I have been living in this area for 13 years and when I first met him he as mobile and fully functional. He is not aware that I am an MS expert and is managed by a very good MS unit locally. I have gradually watched him go from being independently mobile to needing a walking stick, then two sticks, a walking frame and now a wheelchair. I have seen him fall many times and have helped him up on several occasions; I have bought him drinks and generally being very friendly to him; but not friendly enough. In the beginning I would frequently see him in one of our village eateries with friends and family, laughing and having a good time. The only person I see him with now is one of his carers who take him out for daily walks. His carers always seem to change; I wonder how this affects the quality of his care? Carer churn is a big problem in the UK; carers in London tend to be poorly paid and are often foreigners on short-term contracts from a local agency.”
“This short narrative highlights one of the biggest blights in modern society; the social isolation that frequently awaits people with chronic disabling disease. How do we prevent it? I think history judges successful societies on how they look after their elderly and infirm; we are not doing very well in this domain. Sociologists lament at the demise of the extended family; the claim the nuclear family and now on-demand technology is breaking down our social capital further. The question I have is what can we do as a community to teach medical students about social isolation, social capital and how important the latter is as part of the holistic management of someone with MS.”
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