Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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Lived experiences of ageing and later life in older people with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- KÅHLIN Ida, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 35(3), 2015, pp.602-628.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Draws on the qualitative interviews with 12 people with intellectual disabilities (five men, seven women) to explore how older people with intellectual disability (ID), who live in group accommodation, describe their lived experience in relation to ageing and later life. Participants were aged between the ages of 48 and 71 (mean=64) and lived in four different group accommodation units in southern Sweden. A descriptive phenomenological analysis method was used, which disclosed a structure consisting of themes and sub-themes. The findings reveal the informants' lived experience of ageing and later life as a multifaceted phenomenon, expressed through the two themes. The first theme 'Age as a process of change’, included the sub-themes of bodily functions and health, activity and participation; and the supporting environment. The second theme ‘existential aspects of ageing’, included being old, becoming like others, and death and dying. The body is an essential element in their experience of ageing and growing old, and in how this experience is expressed. The study also found social, cultural and historical dimensions of the life-world to be important in the informants' experience of ageing and later life. This supports understanding of the existence of a collective life-world for older people with ID, the unique experiences the informants share because of their disability and its consequences for their lifecourse. (Edited publisher abstract)
How parents experience the quality of support: a survey in residential care
- Authors:
- LUIJKX Jorien, BRUG Annet ten, VLASKAMP Carla
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 10(1), 2013, pp.37-44.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study examined the views of parents and/or legal guardians on the quality of support provided to people with an intellectual disability (ID) in residential care in the Netherlands, in order to improve the partnership between parents/legal guardians and facilities. A questionnaire developed in close cooperation with parents specifically for this aim was sent to 1,785 households (parents and/or legal guardians) of clients in the Netherlands. Types of residential care included group homes, community living, and assisted living facilities, to more sheltered housing and institutional placements. The questionnaire consists of the following five subsections: daily care, housing, day services, leisure activities, and communication. A multiple regression analysis was performed to determine which factors contributed to the satisfaction of parents and/or legal guardians. The questionnaires returned (n = 1,058) showed that respondents rated the overall quality of support at an average grade of 7.3 out of 10. Small but mostly significant differences were found between the subsections. Special attention should be paid to the percentage of parents and/or legal guardians who gave unsatisfactory scores (10%) and the substantial percentage (25%) of parents and/or legal guardians that rated the quality of care only marginally satisfactory (grades 6–7). (Edited publisher abstract)
Is my story so different from yours? Comparing life stories, experiences of institutionalization and self-advocacy in England and Iceland
- Authors:
- HREINSDOTTIR Eyglo Ebba, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34(3), September 2006, pp.157-166.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper uses oral history and documentary materials to develop a cross-cultural comparison of the experiences of two self-advocates who spent significant parts of their lives in learning difficulty institutions in England and Iceland. Anne Lewthwaite from England, and Eyglo Ebba Hreinsdottir from Iceland, born in the same era (1948–1950) researched and recorded their life stories and in May 2004, jointly presented these at an Open University Conference. Their stories bring to life the history of the institutions and the experiences of those who 'spoke up' and challenged the system long before formal self-advocacy groups were established. Alongside this oral history work policy developments in each culture are described and compared to provide context to their life histories. The findings also highlight important similarities and differences between the two cultures in terms of the history of learning difficulty. The women's experience of participating in cross-cultural oral history work is discussed together with the contribution of a comparative approach in furthering historical understanding of self-advocacy.
The barriers to social inclusion as perceived by people with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- ABBOTT Suzanne, McCONKEY Roy
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 10(3), September 2006, pp.275-287.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
Very little research has been done on social inclusion from the perspective of people with intellectual disabilities, including perceived barriers and remedies. Focus groups were held with 68 persons, mostly tenants in supported living or shared group homes in Northern Ireland. Qualitative data were obtained using a mix of workshop activities and small group discussions. Four main barriers were identified: lack of necessary knowledge and skills; role of support staff and service mangers; location of house; and community factors such as lack of amenities and attitudes. Participants were able to identify a range of solutions for these barriers. Most of their proposals were in line with the aims of current government policy and good practice. These findings reinforce the contribution individuals could make to the planning of local services for themselves and others. This advocacy has been an essential element in reducing the social isolation of other marginalized groups.
Evaluation of the dissemination of active support training and training trainers
- Authors:
- JONES Edwin, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 14(2), 2001, pp.79-99.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Article describes an attempt to replicate active support (AS) and train the service managers of community housing services as trainers in so doing. Training was conducted in three phases: in 22 houses, it was led by one of the researchers, with identified managers assisting; in 16, it was led by a manager who had participated in the previous phase, assisted by the researcher; and in 36 houses, it was undertaken independently by managers who had participated in the previous two phase. Changes in the extent of planned activity, resident involvement in domestic, social and community activities, the observed staff-resident interaction, and observed resident engagement in activity were evaluated. Resident views about the introduction of AS were canvassed. Active support training was fully implemented in the first two phases, but not in the third. There was an increase in planned activity in all phases after AS training. Significant increases in assistance and resident engagement in activity were found in the first two phases, but not in the third. Active support was shown to be of greater benefit to people with more severe disabilities. The resident feedback was positive. The approach taken to training managers as trainers was not sufficient to enable them to implement the training in its entirety during the third phase. The absence of change in this phase indicated the necessity of the practical interaction training, which was the element mainly missed out. Since AS was once again shown to be an effective approach for people with more severe intellectual disabilities, the challenge of creating a widespread ability to train staff within community housing services requires further effort.
Care in the community for young people with learning disabilities: the client's voice
- Author:
- SINSON Janice
- Publisher:
- Jessica Kingsley
- Publication year:
- 1995
- Pagination:
- 166p.,bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Presents the process of moving from hospital into the community from a service user point of view. Describes the experiences of staff, families and residents.
Qualitative evaluation of a physical activity health promotion programme for people with intellectual disabilities in a group home setting
- Authors:
- DIXON-IBARRA A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 31(Supplement S1), 2018, pp.97-109.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: There is a lack of health promotion programming designed to change the physical activity environment of the group home setting. The Menu-Choice programme assists staff in creating physical activity goals alongside residents with intellectual disabilities and provides strategies to incorporate activity into the group home schedule. The purpose of this study was to complete a process evaluation of Menu-Choice utilising qualitative methods. Methods: Twelve participants, who completed a 10-week pilot intervention (n = 7 staff, mean age 42; n = 5 residents, mean age 52), participated in face-to-face interviews. Participants represented five group home sites involved in the intervention. Results: Meta-themes included: (i) Programme training, (ii) Programme implementation, (iii) Programme physical activity, (iv) Programme barriers, (v) Programme facilitators and (vi) Programme feedback. Conclusions: Changes in programme training and simplified programme materials are needed to accommodate identified barriers for implementation. The importance of obtaining increased agency support and policy change is highlighted. (Edited publisher abstract)
Does the severity of disability matter? the opinion of parents about professional support in residential facilities
- Authors:
- LUIJKX Jorien, BRUG A.Ten, VLASKAMP C.
- Journal article citation:
- Child: Care, Health and Development, 42(1), 2016, pp.8-15.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Researchers have shown that the characteristics of a person with an intellectual disability (ID), in particular the severity of the disability, are related to the outcomes of professional support. Hardly any studies have asked parents and/or legal guardians for their own opinion about the quality of support given to their child/family member with ID. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between the severity of a person's disability and the opinions voiced by the parents and/or other legal guardians of that person concerning several aspects of the quality of support received in residential care. (Publisher abstract)
Comparison of community residential supports on measures of information and planning; access to and delivery of supports; choice and control; community connections; satisfaction; and, overall perception of outcomes
- Authors:
- STAINTON T., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 55(8), August 2011, pp.732-745.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper reports findings from a large-scale survey (n = 852) of family members and support staff of adults with intellectual disabilities receiving community living services in British Columbia, Canada. It concentrates on comparisons across four types of community residential setting: group homes, family model homes, an independent home or apartment, and a family home. Six domains were evaluated: information and planning; access to and delivery of supports; choice and control; community connections; satisfaction; and, overall perception of outcomes. The responses revealed that a significant number of adults are still residing with family or in group homes. However 28% were living in an independent home, most of which were owned by the respondent. Overall satisfaction with residential supports was not very high; only 58.8% of participants indicated that they were always or usually happy with the support. On all measures other than choice and control, group homes and family model homes showed better outcomes than either independent settings or family homes. The authors conclude that the move to more independent living settings may not be accompanied by appropriate supports.
Self-appraised lifestyle satisfaction of persons with intellectual disability: the impact of personal characteristics and community residential facilities
- Author:
- SCHWARTZ Chaya
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 28(3), September 2003, pp.227-240.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study interviewed a total of 247 adults with intellectual disability from residents group homes, semi-independent and independent apartments in the community in Israel using the lifestyle satisfaction scale. Results found that residents personal and behavioural characteristics explained more of the variance of total lifestyle than the living arrangement. Among personal and behavioural variables, only need for mobility assistance and level of challenging behaviour predicted lifestyle satisfaction. Living in a semi- independent apartment made a significant and independent contribution to the total lifestyle satisfaction over and above the contribution made by personal and behavioural characteristics. However, participants who did not live in a semi-independent apartment expressed more lifestyle satisfaction than those who did.