Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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Bridging the gap in care provision
- Author:
- DARWENT Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Viewpoint, 118, September 2010, pp.22-23.
- Publisher:
- Mencap/Gateway
There are an estimated 25,000 older people with a learning disability living in England, and this number is rising due to improved care and medical advancements. This article notes that the particular needs of older people with a learning disability are not usually met by standard homes for older people. It describes the work of the Fynvola Foundation and its Lady Dane Farmhouse, a residential home in Faversham dedicated to caring for older people with a learning disability.
“It’s not the same without you:” exploring the experience and perception of transition for people with intellectual disabilities and dementia
- Authors:
- SHETH Alisa Jordan, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 49(3), 2021, pp.365-372.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
1 Background: For people with intellectual disabilities and dementia, transitions are likely to become increasingly common as they age. While transitions experienced by people with intellectual disabilities in young adulthood are frequently studied, less is known about transitions in older adults, including residential, vocational and leisure changes. This article aims to explore the experiences of transition from the perspectives of people with intellectual disabilities and dementia, including the impact on their daily lives. 2 Methodology: Three women with intellectual disabilities and dementia living in residential settings participated in participant observations and informal interviews across a variety of environments and activities. Field notes and interview transcripts underwent a thematic analysis focusing on transitions. 3 Findings: Participants experienced the impact of transitions in their residential placements, day programming, leisure activities and relationships. Themes related to their experiences of transitions included making sense of transitions, utilising peer care networks for support and tackling the looming threat of loss and transition. 4 Conclusions: Peer care networks and friendships are crucial in supporting people during and after transitions. Receiving effective supports to maintain relationships, roles and activities, even in seemingly minor ways, is an important right for people with intellectual disabilities and dementia, particularly as care needs increase. (Edited publisher abstract)
Training of residential social care staff to meet the needs of older people with intellectual disabilities who develop age-related health problems: an exploratory study
- Authors:
- NORTHWAY Ruth, JENKINS Robert, HOLLAND-HART Daniella
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 30(5), 2017, pp.911-921.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: Despite awareness of the age related health needs of people with intellectual disabilities little is known regarding how residential social care staff are prepared to meet such needs. Methods: Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews from 14 managers of supported living settings. Transcripts were thematically analysed. Findings: Staff may work in supported living settings with no prior experience of care work, and previous knowledge/experience of supporting people in relation to their health is not required. Whilst health related training is provided there is a lack of specific training regarding healthy ageing, and training seems to be reactive to changing needs of tenants meaning that proactive monitoring for changes in health status may not occur. Conclusions: Whilst some training is provided for residential social care staff in relation to health and ageing a more proactive approach is required which should include a focus on healthy ageing. (Edited publisher abstract)
Ageing in people with intellectual disability as it is understood by group home staff
- Authors:
- KAHLIN Ida, KJELLBERG Anette, HAGBERG Jan-Erik
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 41(1), 2016, pp.1-10.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Background: The number of older residents in group homes for people with intellectual disability (ID) is increasing. This interview study was focused on how group home staff address issues of ageing and being old among people with ID. Method: Twelve members of staff at 4 different group homes in Sweden were interviewed. Results: Findings revealed old age as something unarticulated in the group home. Group home staff felt unprepared to meet age-related changes in residents. The study also revealed that group home staff had a one-tracked way of describing the process of ageing among people with ID, which was seemingly rooted in a medical paradigm of disability. Conclusion: Based on this study's findings, we suggest that there is a need to raise issues and give guidance related to ageing and ID in disability policy documents to support the development of a formal culture that addresses old age and ID in disability services. (Publisher abstract)
Relationship between mobility limitations and the places where older adults with intellectual disabilities live
- Authors:
- CLEAVER Shaun, OUELLETTE-KUNTZ Helene, HUNTER Duncan
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 5(4), December 2008, pp.253-258.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
As the population ages, mobility limitations are associated with increased mortality and negative health-related states both in the general population and among people with intellectual disabilities. The influence of mobility limitations upon the lives and lifestyles of people with intellectual disabilities remains poorly understood. Specifically, the extent to which mobility limitations might limit residential options for individuals and families has not been evaluated. To determine the relationship between mobility limitations and place of residence for adults with intellectual disabilities, age 45 and older, a proxy-response telephone survey was completed for 128 adults with intellectual disabilities in Southeastern Ontario. A participant's place of residence was categorized as being "high support" (group homes and nursing homes) or "low support" (living alone, with family, roommates, or host family). People with a score of 12 or less on the Rivermead Mobility Index were considered to have a mobility limitation. The relationship between mobility limitations and high-support residential settings was analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model. After adjusting for age, sex, and presence of cerebral palsy, communication problems and behaviour problems, people with mobility problems had 3.6 times greater odds of living in high-support settings. Authors concluded that mobility limitations are associated with residence in "high-support" settings and that further investigation is needed to determine the direction of causality and to create programs and services that equalize opportunities.
Pennine Court: remodelling sheltered housing to include extra care for people with learning difficulties
- Authors:
- LATTO Shena, CROOKES Victoria
- Publisher:
- Care Services Improvement Partnership. Housing Learning and Improvement Network
- Publication year:
- 2007
- Pagination:
- 21p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This Case Study describes the development of extra care housing opportunities for older people with learning difficulties within a conventional sheltered housing scheme in Salford. It details the key stages and features of the development process, and shares the lessons learned from this in the hope that they will be useful to other commissioners and providers of housing and support services considering/involved in: remodelling sheltered housing; developing extra care for people with learning difficulties; integrating provision for people with learning difficulties with mainstream provision for people as they age.
Falling through the care cracks: younger people in long-term care homes
- Author:
- LAI Poland
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Care and Caring, 5(4), 2021, pp.701-707.
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
The COVID-19 casualties in long-term care homes (nursing homes) around the world are usually described as our collective failure in care towards older adults. The plight of younger long-term care residents appears to be forgotten in the midst of long-term care tragedies. This article summarises a small number of key informant interviews (conducted in 2017) that shed light on why younger adults reside in long-term care homes in Ontario, Canada. To put it simply, the younger residents have nowhere to go. Diverting younger people with disabilities from long-term care will help alleviate pressures on long-term care systems as respective governments race to reform them. (Edited publisher abstract)
Meeting the health needs of older people with intellectual disabilities: exploring the experiences of residential social care staff
- Authors:
- NORTHWAY Ruth, HOLLAND-HART Daniella, JENKINS Robert
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 25(3), 2017, pp.923-931.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Older people with intellectual disabilities often experience high levels of health needs and multiple morbidities but they may be supported by residential care staff with little or no previous experience of identifying and meeting health needs. Little is known regarding how they undertake this health-related role and this exploratory study seeks to address this gap. A purposive sample of 14 managers of supported living accommodation in Wales were interviewed in 2014 to determine their experiences of supporting tenants in relation to age-related health needs. The semi-structured interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. Three of the emerging themes are reported in this paper: meeting health needs, the consequences of ageing and relationships. Findings indicate that residential care staff support older people with intellectual disabilities with complex and multiple health needs: they monitor health status, support access to healthcare, provide additional support arising from changing health needs and advocate for tenants in the context of healthcare. However, their role is often not understood by healthcare professionals. The importance of staff having a long-term relationship with those they support was identified as being important to identifying any health-related changes. The need to develop effective relationships with healthcare staff was also noted. It is concluded that there is a need for better understanding among health staff of the role of residential social care workers and for further research regarding health-related communication. (Publisher abstract)
Families' experiences of seeking out-of-home accommodation for their adult child with an intellectual disability
- Authors:
- GREY Jillian M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 12(1), 2015, pp.47-57.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Research exploring the experiences of families during the process of seeking out-of-home accommodation for an adult son or daughter with intellectual disability is scarce. A study was undertaken to examine this process. Nine families currently seeking out-of-home accommodation for their adult son or daughter were interviewed and interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. Two main themes were identified: (1) reasons for seeking housing and (2) experiences of seeking housing. Parents' ageing and increased health problems along with the offspring's wish for greater independence were the main reasons for seeking out-of home accommodation. Experiences of looking for a house were not straightforward in that parents often wanted to plan ahead but were prevented from doing so as the housing system prioritizes 'housing crises.' Findings showed that families experienced seeking housing as stressful and frustrating and would like to see social care and housing professionals acknowledge them as collaborative partners in the process. The authors conclude there also needs to be greater clarity of expectation of the duration of finding suitable accommodation, a process that needs to be started early in a young adult's life. (Publisher abstract)
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.