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Confidence of group home staff in supporting the health needs of older residents with intellectual disability
- Authors:
- WEBBER Ruth, BOWERS Barbara, BIGBY Christine
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 41(2), 2016, pp.107-114.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Background: Increased life expectancy for people with intellectual disability is accompanied by increased age-related health concerns. People ageing with intellectual disability experience more health conditions and are relocated to aged care earlier than their age peers. Method: Group home staff were surveyed about their (a) training and confidence in 11 health conditions and 7 health procedures, and (b) attitude to relocating residents with health needs to aged care. Results: Staff training in each of 10 health conditions and 7 health procedures was positively associated with increased confidence in supporting residents with those health issues. Higher staff confidence in caring for residents with 9 conditions and requiring 4 procedures was negatively associated with a likelihood of recommending that a person with those health needs should relocate to aged care. Conclusions: Targeted training of staff in age-related health issues may contribute to better health care and delay residents relocating to aged care. (Publisher abstract)
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.