Page 234 - Psychology of Wounds and Wound Care in Clinical Practice ( PDFDrive )

Conclusion 209

Obviously, it has to be remembered that in any caregiving
situation it is not just about the burden of care. Buckner and
Yeandle ( 2011 ) reported that carers do find the role positive
in that is provided a sense of family, community and friend-
ship. It is therefore important that the positives of caring for
a loved one are not overlooked and the valuable care they
provide is recognised, encouraged and actively supported.
This may mean a number of different things- from respite, to
provision of support networks of their own, to a simple word
of acknowledgment and appreciation from professionals.

Conclusion

Health care professionals may overlook psychosocial aspects
of an individual with a wound due to the main focus being on
the clinical aspects of wound care. However, this oversight may
be problematic as social support can improve healing, mental
and physical health, acts as a buffer against stressors, and
improves patients’ well-being. Hence, improving the social
support opportunities for those with a wound may prove ben-
eficial not only for the psychological health of the individual
patient but also for their physical health. Furthermore, as the
number of individuals with chronic wounds may be on the
increase community based intervention may be preferable and
could contribute to overall management of those with a
wound. The promotion of social support will not only enhance
psychosocial well-being but may also improve wound healing
rate. A number of such models are available and show promise
but need to be formally investigated in order to be widely
introduced for this reason alone.
In contrast, there is limited research that explores the
impact of chronic wounds on the family and, in particular, to
the partner of the individual with the wound. This is unfortu-
nate given the key role that family members play in support-
ing successful adaptation to chronic disorders. Although
parallels can be drawn from other conditions this is an area
that warrants further investigation. Drawing from other
chronic conditions it would appear that there could be signifi-
cant burden on the spouse or other family members which