Support options when a disabled adult is violent towards their carer

[elliejjtiny]

Asking for a friend.

Disabled adult is being violent to their parent/carer, has been for years. Parent doesn't want to get them into trouble. Is there anything that can be done to help. Parent can't leave the situation as the disabled adult needs care.

Yes

although what depends on the disability

eg some autistic people are violent during meltdowns and there are processes to work out triggers and avoid them.

is the disabled adult and parent known to social workers? In theory they should have a social worker but this is not always the case.

a lot depends on the level of understanding of the disabled adult.

Yvonne Newbold runs workshops and provides advice around violence committed by young disabled adults against their carers. If your friend googles her she will find plenty of resources around this.

Thankyou. They don't have a social worker. Adult child presents very similar to autism but has been like this since being seriously ill with meningitis about 15 years ago.

Have they been assessed for brain damage?

I'm not sure. This happened before I knew them. They have been diagnosed with epilepsy after the meningitis.

I think it’s something that the family should look into. If there is an acquired brain injury then it really needs to be known, behaviour management and medication options are different for those with ABIs rather than mental illness or behaviour issues. Many health and social care professionals are quite ignorant/ lack knowledge of brain injuries so it can take some fighting to get the right help.
Maybe a call to headway or similar to discuss options/ gain advice might be the way to go.

Thank you. In a lot of ways they are very similar to my son who has autism although my son hurts himself rather than others. They are very pleasant and polite in public and then have violent meltdowns at home.