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Staff responses to age-related health changes in people with an intellectual disability in group homes
- Authors:
- WEBBER Ruth, BOWERS Barbara, MCKENZIE-GREEN Barbara
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 25(6), October 2010, pp.657-671.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The purpose of this study was to explore how supervisors in group homes caring for people with intellectual disability responded to the development of age-related health changes in their residents. It examined how staff in Victoria, Australia, viewed age-related changes, how they decided when a resident should go to residential aged care, and how they supported people who stayed despite significant age-related health problems. Information from in-depth interviews with 10 group home supervisors working in the disability sector was analysed using dimensional analysis. The article discusses factors related to care including resident health characteristics, resources, skills and comfort level of supervisors, ability to navigate health and disability sector rules and regulations, and concern about impact on other residents. The findings from the study suggested that group home supervisors are the primary decision-makers about whether residents can remain in the group home or will be relocated to residential aged care, and that although supervisors consistently expressed the belief that, at some point, residents with serious health conditions may require more intensive or skilled care, there was less consistency in their views about the criteria determining when a resident can no longer be accommodated in the home.
Hospital experiences of older people with intellectual disability: responses of group home staff and family members
- Authors:
- WEBBER Ruth, BOWERS Barbara, BIGBY Christine
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 35(3), September 2010, pp.155-164.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
A subset of data from a longitudinal study was used to examine perspectives of group home staff and family members concerning hospital experiences of group home residents with intellectual disabilities, including the strategies they used to support residents while in hospital. Focus was on 17 residents, aged 49 to 81 years at first interview, living in group homes in Victoria, who were tracked prospectively over 3 years. A total of 17 family members, 16 house supervisors, 11 accommodation program managers, and 11 staff in aged care facilities were interviewed. Twelve residents had been hospitalised at least once during the study and all had been hospitalised within the last 5 years. Staff and family reported poor support and treatment of the residents while in hospital. All positive experiences occurred in hospitals that had clear policies, resources and systems in place to address the special needs of people with an intellectual disability. Several strategies were used by staff and family members to improve the hospital experience. These included spending as much time as possible in the hospital; preparing information packages to prepare the resident for the hospital stay; attempting to partner with hospital staff; and taking on an advocacy role. Ageing of the family members and staffing implications for group homes complicated efforts to improve hospital experiences. The authors conclude that the current absence of systems to accommodate the special needs of people with intellectual disability in hospital settings has significant consequences for group homes, family members, hospital staff and residents.