Suchergebnisse

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.

AbstractBackgroundAdults with an intellectual disability (ID) have much lower rates of employment than their counterparts without intellectual disability, which increases their risk of poverty and social exclusion. Differential treatment of people with intellectual disability in welfare and training policies suggests an expectation they will be passive welfare recipients rather than productive employees.MethodsThis paper aims to examine occupational activities by older people with intellectual disability in Ireland, exploring factors influencing outcomes using data from the IDS‐TILDA study (n = 708).ResultsMost people were unemployed but engaged in regular occupational activity. Occupational activity was associated with better emotional/mental health. Activities of Daily Living (ADL) functioning was associated with an active occupational status, while social supports most strongly predicted high occupational engagement across a range of activities.ConclusionsA focus on the individual meaning derived from a broad range of engagement may better support people with intellectual disabilities to benefit from regular occupational activity.

BackgroundPeople with intellectual disability tend to have smaller social networks than other groups, with even those living in community‐based residences comparatively worse off.Materials and methodsAnalysis of data from the Intellectual Disability Supplement to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS‐TILDA) (n = 701) examined measures of interpersonal relationships and interactions. Predictors of family contact and having non‐resident friends were also explored.ResultsSocial networks of older people with intellectual disability differ considerably from the general older population, with a reliance on support staff and co‐resident friends in place of their own immediate family structures and wider friendships. Proximity to family most strongly predicted family contact. Residence in independent or family residences was most strongly linked to having non‐resident friends.ConclusionsWhile family proximity and community living are associated with improved social networks and contacts, older people with intellectual disability remain worse off than the general older population.

BackgroundThe literature on influences of community versus congregated settings raises questions about how social inclusion can be optimised for people with intellectual disability. This study examines social contacts for older people with intellectual disability in Ireland, examining differences in social connection for adults with intellectual disability and other adults.Materials & MethodsData were drawn from the IDS‐TILDA study in Ireland. A nationally representative sample (n = 753) included adults aged 40 years and older, with additional comparison with general population participants. Predictors of social contacts were explored.ResultsResidence, level of intellectual disability and age were significant factors determining social contact. People in institutional residences, older respondents and those with severe/profound intellectual disability had the lowest levels of contact; older adults with intellectual disability had much lower rates than general population counterparts.ConclusionsCommunity‐dwelling people with intellectual disability have greater social contact than those living in institutions, but levels are below those for other adults in Ireland.

AbstractBackgroundTransport is an important basis for social participation. Challenges to accessing and using transport for people with intellectual disabilities increase their risk of exclusion and loneliness.MethodData from a nationally representative study of older people with intellectual disabilities (n = 708) were used to examine longitudinal changes in transport usage and factors associated with using public transport and other travel options.ResultsFindings confirmed that this population depends on others for transportation. The most frequently used mode, staff‐supported transport, showed no significant longitudinal change. Public transport was secondary, with only moderate continued use between data collection points. Level of intellectual disability most strongly predicted public transport use, while community residence most strongly predicted using public transport to attend work or day programmes.ConclusionsTransport usage is associated with demand and supply factors linked to the person's environment, including having somewhere to go that requires transport and availability of transport options.

BackgroundPeople with intellectual disabilities are living longer, with family homes and family caregivers increasingly identified as a key support to this ageing population of people with intellectual disabilities.MethodThis systematic review sets out existing evidence from empirically evaluated intervention studies of future care planning for adults with intellectual disability by family carers.ResultsThis systematic review identified a scarcity of systematic approaches to future care planning for adults with intellectual disabilities and their family carers. However, evidence from the review suggests positive outcomes for families once they engage in a future planning process.ConclusionsContemporary social policy orientation, which emphasizes reliance on families to provide care, along with an ageing population of people with intellectual disabilities, and diminishing caring capacity within family networks, suggests an urgent need for a more expansive research base that evaluates approaches to supporting adults with intellectual disabilities and their family carers to plan for their futures.