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Visual impairment (V.I.) has been associated with a negative impact on activities of daily living (ADL) and navigation outside the home. Adults from minority ethnic communities are projected to make up an increasing proportion of the V.I. population in the UK, yet the evidence relating to their experiences of living with V.I. is limited. This article uses data collected by the V.I. Lives Survey, between December 2019 and November 2020. Using secondary analysis of anonymised survey data, this article explores self-reported functioning relating to ADL, navigation outside of the home, and use of technology to access information in a matched control sample of adults from minority ethnic (MEC) and white communities (WC). The findings showed that most issues relating to self-efficacy, accessibility of public environments, and technology were significantly more important to MEC than WC participants. A significantly higher proportion of MEC participants required frequent help with cooking, received support for ADL from siblings and other family members, and had their shopping delivered. WC participants were significantly more likely to receive help with shopping from their spouse/partner and use public transport as much as they liked. Future research will need to confirm these findings in a larger sample and explore the reasons for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) has several enduring effects that can lead to further harm and/or lower quality of life. These effects include falling and body pain, neither of which have been fully explored. This study aims to examine the risk factors associated with falling and potential causes of body pain in a post‐GBS population. A cross‐sectional survey of 216 participants was conducted using an electronic questionnaire that included. Self‐report measures for: overall health, balance, anxiety and depression levels, body pain and demographics related to GBS experience and falls. A large proportion of individuals post‐GBS experience ongoing problems beyond those expected with ageing. Comparative tests indicated that people reporting falls in the previous 12 months had: poorer levels of mobility, poorer F‐scores, higher levels of body pain, poorer balance, poorer anxiety and depression scores and higher levels of fatigue. Gender did not appear to contribute to falls. Injuries following falls were associated with a lack of physiotherapy postdischarge and time since GBS. In a regression analysis of the identified and expected key variables, age and body pain statistically predicted falls. In over a quarter of cases reported here, respondents did not receive community physiotherapy following hospital discharge. In the midst and aftermath of COVID‐19, provision of rehabilitation needs to be recalibrated, not just for COVID patients, but the wider community with ongoing needs. Issues around well‐being and quality of life in the post‐GBS community also need further consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphasia, a language disability, can profoundly affect a person's mood and identity. The experiences of participants who received Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, a psychological intervention, were explored in the Solution-Focused brief therapy In poststroke Aphasia (SOFIA) Trial. Thirty participants with chronic aphasia, 14 with severe aphasia, participated in in-depth interviews that were analyzed using framework analysis. Two overarching themes emerged: valued therapy components (exploring hopes, noticing achievements, companionship, sharing feelings, and relationship with therapist) and perceptions of progress (mood, identity, communication, relationships, and independence). Participants were categorized into four groups: (a) "changed," where therapy had a meaningful impact on a person's life; (b) "connected," where therapy was valued primarily for companionship; (c) "complemental," where therapy complemented a participant's upward trajectory; and (d) "discordant," where therapy misaligned with participants' preference for impairment-based language work. This study suggests that it is feasible to adapt a psychological therapy for people with aphasia, who perceive it as valuable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]