A guide to safe medical treatment for the developmentally disabled residents of the Saunalahti Residential services unit

The purpose of this thesis was to produce a guide for safe medical treatment written in plain language to the developmentally disabled residents of the Saunalahti Residential Services Unit proving instructions to independent medical treatment. The goal of the thesis was to develop individualized guidance of the developmentally disabled to improve their quality of life and their ability to function in everyday life.

The topic of the thesis arose from needs in the working life. Individualized guidance is practised at the Saunalahti Residential Services Unit of the Rinnekoti Foundation. The residential services unit lacked a guidance brochure that describes the implementation of medical treatment in plain language.

The thesis was conducted in accordance with the process of in an operational thesis. The thesis contains a theoretical framework that deals with the basics of safe medical treatment, developmental disability, as well as producing a guidance brochure written in plain language. Qualitative methods were used as the research method for the theoretical framework. On the basis of the theoretical data, a guidance brochure consisting of pictures and written in plain language was produced.

The final product of the thesis, the guide, was evaluated by a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire contained both multiple choice questions and open-ended questions pertaining to the layout, content, and the usefulness of the guide. The guide was evaluated by the personnel of the Saunalahti Residential Services Unit of the Rinnekoti Foundation. On the basis of the answers, the content and layout of the guide were modified in order for it to serve its users needs better. The guide was delivered to the use of the Saunalahti Residential Services Unit of the Rinnekoti Foundation in the fall of 2015.

In the future, a follow-up study on how the residents experience the independent medical treatment could be conducted at the Saunalahti Residential Services Unit.

Keywords: safe medical treatment, developmental disability, guidance brochure