Self Neglect

Self-neglect covers many behaviours. A person may not be keeping themselves clean, neglecting to care for their own health or their surroundings, may refuse care or treatment for health and care needs, or could be hoarding various types of possessions to the point of being a risk. Someone may be unable to manage their personal affairs, for instance debt and bills.

Articles

I have found the below articles during the literature review stage of my research, which may be useful to practitioners.

Article 1 – This paper by Day et al (2016) is taken from the annual review of nursing and focuses on a model of ethical justification in a case of Self-Neglect, the paper focuses on adults over 65. I have found the below articles during the literature review stage of my research, which may be useful to practitioners.

Article 2 – This paper by Martineau, S (2020) from Kings College, London focuses on 3 early papers regarding self neglect and the changes that the Care Act and Mental Capacity Act have brought.  

Article 3 – This document is an Inter-agency safeguarding adults’ policy on self-neglect and hoarding.  Which has been produced by the Teesside Safeguarding Adults Board.

Article 4 – This study by Day and McCarthy (2015) published in the Age and Ageing Journal is a cross-sectional study of community nurses and social workers knowledge of self-neglect, the study is quantitative and highlights the need for inter-disciplinary in-service training.

Article 5 – This study by Manthorpe et al (2022) published in the Journal of Social Worker explores the experience of adult social workers addressing self-neglect during COVID-19 using semi-structured interviews.

Article 6 – This exploratory study by Day, McCarthy, and Leahy-Warren (2012) published in the British Journal of Social Work gives insight into the views of Professional Social Worker’s on self-neglect.  Outcomes suggest a greater need for clarity in relation to Self-Neglect as an entity.

Article 7 – This research paper published in the Journal of Adult Protection focuses on one local authority and their work with adults who hoard.  Findings suggest that strengths, relationship-based and outcome-focused approaches were key to success for the individual.

Article 8 – This paper by Sanders, R (2022) is an overview of self-neglect and current research.  The paper concludes a need for further behavioural frameworks and a standardised definition of what self-neglect is.

Article 9 – This study by Halliday et al (2000) focuses on people who live in “squalor” and is a cross sectional study of clients of a Local Authority cleaning service.  The Findings show people who live in squalor have high rates of mental disorder (Diogenes syndrome /senile squalor syndrome).

Article 10 – This study by Lauder et al (2005) focuses on housing and self-neglect and the responses of health, social care, and environmental health agencies.  The findings suggest that interventions are implemented too late when behaviour is already ingrained, and individuals are reluctant to adopt change.

Article 11 – This paper by Lauder (2001) Discusses utilising self-care theory as a theoretical basis for self-neglect and concludes that further exploration of use of self-care theory and that self-care agency is a useful concept in explaining personal and pathological factors of self-neglect.

Article 12 – This paper by Lauder et al (2002) discusses the role of social and psychological theories of self-neglect and concludes that the role of language is important and mentions labelling of self-neglect.

Article 13 – This analytical study by Lauder et al (2009) identifies that many studies around self-neglect specifically exclude younger participants and highlights co-morbidity and the necessity for longitudinal studies.

Article 14 – This article by Paudyal et al (2019) published in the Health and Social Care Journal, focuses on the perspectives of people experiencing homelessness and self-care and highlights the need for targeted interventions.

Article 15 – This paper from the Social Care Institute for Excellence (2011) is a Literature review of findings from self-neglect research.

Article 16 – This paper by Preston-Shoot (2020) published in the Journal of Adult Protection is focused on the outcome of Safeguarding Adult Reviews, some of which involve self-neglect and touches on executive capacity.

Article 17 – This paper from the Social Care Institute for Excellence (2015) is a general briefing which concludes by suggesting how service involvement could be more successful when working with individuals who self-neglect.

Article 18 – This paper by Roberts et al (2021) published in the Health and Social Care Journal, is a qualitative study which includes semi structured interviews with professionals and focuses on the Mental Capacity Act in relation to self-neglect.