ABSTRACT
Young patients often find it difficult to access timely physical support. Elderly people will often have their physical daily needs assessed – because of their age if not their diagnosis. There is a general assumption that young people can self-care, with the result that their daily needs are not noted in hospital or the outpatient setting. It is assumed that because you are young, you can cope without help. As we get older, we often slowly learn to adapt physically and emotionally to altering physical function, and these adaptations and coping mechanisms are often shared within our peer group. This is not the case with younger patients. Any information and advertisement regarding equipment generally features older people, making it appear less attainable and attractive to younger people.
