Chronic disease – disease that persists over a long period of time

Frailty - A state of increased vulnerability to poor resolution of homeostasis after a stressor event as a consequence of age- related decreased physiological reserves.”

Differential diagnosis:

• MS
• Parkinson’s disease
• Motor neurones disease (and ALS)
• Alzheimers dementia
• Stroke

Chronic disabiity

Models of disability

• Medical model - disability is intrinsic to the individual, restrictions attributed to physical and cognitive impairments
  • Interventions are focued on treating impairments
• Social model - Disability is extrinsic to individual, restrictions attributed to social, attitudinal and physical barriers
  • Calls for socio-political responses
• Interactional model - Disability is the outcome of complex interactions between impairments AND social, environmental and cultural contexts
  • Role of services is to enable disabled people to lead ordinary lives and participate in society to same extent as everyone else

International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)

WHO document that aims to:

• Address differences of emphasis between medical and social models of disability
• Establish a common language for describing health
• Provide an international coding system for classification of functioning