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AbstractBackgroundFriendship is important to quality of life, yet people with intellectual disability have more restricted social networks and fewer friends outside family and support staff.MethodData from a nationally representative longitudinal study of older adults with intellectual disability (aged >40) examined rates and types of friends. Factors associated with having a best friend and friendship quality were explored.ResultsA large majority (92.4%) had friends but just over half (52%) had a best friend. Co‐resident friends (71.8%) were more common than non‐resident friends (62%), while staff friendships (62.5%) were important. The majority of best friends were peers with intellectual disability (63.2%), carer/service providers (15.9%) or family (8.4%). Challenging behaviour and communication difficulty were associated with reduced likelihood of having a best friend. A best friend with intellectual disability was associated with lower friendship quality scores.ConclusionLimited choice and social opportunity may result in a precarious form of friendship for older people with intellectual disability that undermines their quality of life.

BackgroundHistorically, there has been higher and earlier mortality among people with intellectual disability as compared to the general population, but there have also been methodological problems and differences in the available studies.MethodData were drawn from the 2012 National Intellectual Disability Database and the Census in Ireland. A standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was calculated, as well as average age at death. Ratios and differences were further examined for the influence of age, gender and level of intellectual disability.ResultsMortality in persons with intellectual disability was four times higher and they were, on average, dying 19 years earlier than peers in the general population. Women with intellectual disability were living longer than males with intellectual disability, but differences in survival as compared to the general population were greater for these women. There was little change in average age at death over 10 years, and death was earlier the more severe the level of intellectual disability.DiscussionThe use of mortality ratios rather than average age at death alone is recommended, as well as greater standardization in use of data sets including the whole population, given high levels of earlier deaths in people with intellectual disability.