This comprehensive book offers an in-depth look at sexual functioning with disability and chronic illness. The basics are covered: taking a sexual history, the sexual response cycle, and how sexual functioning changes with age. This book also deals with special issues such as ethical considerations, sexual abuse and disability, and treatment of the partner of the person with a disability. Separate chapters deal with specific illnesses and disabilities, with an explanation of how that illness or disability affects sexuality and sexual functioning in both men and women. Practical issues such as positioning and helpful tips are also defined for each disorder.

Individuals with disabilities are often “desexualized” in our society, yet they have the same need for intimacy, self-worth, and social belonging as people without disabilities. Sexuality and Disabilities addresses persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and cognitive disabilities and their concerns in the areas of intimacy, family issues, sexuality, and sexual functioning. It offers suggestions for professionals who work with persons with these disabilities to help them work more competently with disabled persons in the sexuality arena. These concrete ideas are excellent for staff training and education and for enhancing professional development for those working with persons with physical disabilities. The contributing authors create an awareness that all people need individualized consideration and that the special needs of all individuals are important, especially for those who may have previously been left to discover things on their own--usually unsuccessfully. Sexuality and Disabilities focuses on a wide range of disabilities, including physical, developmental, and learning disabilities, mental retardation, and conditions that may have an impact on people later in life such as strokes, heart disease, or other chronic illness. Chapters discuss education and support issues for both practitioners and clients. Some of the topics examined include: components of a staff training program on sexuality and disability specific recommendations for sexuality education and counseling with people with spinal cord injuries and other acquired severe neurological disabilities a program model serving parents with mental retardation and their children specific ways educational programming, social work intervention, and policy efforts can address the special learning needs of people with cognitive impairments sources of support and stress for families caring for developmentally disabled children an analysis of special vulnerabilities and challenges relating to sexual victimization that confront people with disabilities An extremely helpful tool for human service practitioners, Sexuality and Disabilities is also a valuable resource for graduate and undergraduate students who have an interest in working with people with physical, cognitive, or mental disabilities and helping them explore this basic facet of their lives.

This much-needed work presents a clear, sensitive, and practical guide for clinicians who treat sexual problems among chronically ill men and women. Providing a comprehensive analysis of the difficulties faced by these individuals in their attempts to live full lives, the volume teaches clinicians basic skills needed to comfortably discuss sexuality with patients, assess sexual problems using both psychological and medical approaches, and create a systematic treatment plan. Authors Schover and Jensen's consistent emphasis on integrative assessment and therapeutic techniques goes a long way toward rectifying the imbalance often created by a strictly medical or psychological techniques.

By the year 2030, as many as 171 million people in the U.S.- more than half of all Americans-will be living with at least one chronic medical condition (data from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation). Illness or disability can easily derail a person's sex life-but it doesn't have to be that way. Using kindness, honesty, and humor, Iris Zink, BSN, MSN, ANP, RN-BC, explores the ways illness or disability can affect a sexual relationship and offers suggestions on how to regain intimacy. She also describes existing myths about sex and debunks them with real-life examples. Most importantly, you'll learn that, no matter how a person's body changes, no-one should have to give up sex. Ms. Zink has 20 years of experience in treating sexual health complications related to chronic illness, and in writing and lecturing to healthcare providers on sexual health subjects. She has enabled thousands of people to experience fulfilling sex and meaningful intimacy-she can help you, too!