A survey of people with intellectual disabilities living in residential aged care facilities in Victoria.
Adults with ID get parked in aged-care homes too early and stay too long, missing programs that boost skills and quality of life.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Antaki et al. (2008) mailed surveys to every aged-care home in Victoria, Australia. They asked managers how many younger residents had an intellectual disability and why they were there.
The team also wanted to know what activities these residents got and how staff felt about mixing them with much older adults.
What they found
Adults with ID were turning up in nursing homes ten or twenty years younger than typical residents. Once placed, they stayed far longer.
Managers said the homes lacked age-appropriate programs and that younger residents often sat idle beside frail elders.
How this fits with other research
McConkey et al. (2011) tracked the same group nationwide for eight years. Most stayed with family, but when moves happened they were usually to group homes, not aged care. Together the studies show aged-care entry is rare but, when it occurs, it sticks.
Clarke et al. (1998) and English et al. (1995) measured life after leaving large institutions. Both found adaptive behaviour and quality of life rose in ordinary group homes. Their data support C et al.’s call: younger adults with ID do better in housing built for them, not for seniors.
Bøttcher et al. (2013) add a warning: challenging behaviour increases with age in ID. Without active programs, the mismatch in aged care may worsen behaviour and hasten decline.
Why it matters
If you sit on an intake team, question any referral that sends a 40-year-old with ID to a nursing home. Push for group-home vacancies, shared living, or supported apartments. Ask for a behaviour plan and day program before you sign off. The research is clear: once the move happens, it rarely reverses.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Australia's national ageing policy recognises that people ageing with intellectual disability (ID) require particular attention, yet there is no policy framework concerning this population. This study describes the distribution and characteristics of people with ID in residential aged care in Victoria, provides insights into the pathways they take into aged care, and gives some indications of how facilities adapt to their needs. METHOD: A postal survey was sent to 826 residential aged care facilities in Victoria, seeking information from directors about their residents with ID. Facilities that responded were fairly representative of all facilities in Victoria. FINDINGS: Residents with ID were younger, had entered at an earlier age and remained longer than other residents. Their reported dependency profile was similar to the general aged care population, although the incidence of dementia was lower. Primary areas of concern identified by providers were: inability to fit into the resident community, lack of participation in activities and lack of meaningful relationships. CONCLUSION: This study provides a first glimpse into how older people with ID find their way into aged care and how others view their experiences once there. It suggests that further investigation is required into the accuracy of assessment undertaken prior to entry to more clearly understand whether residents with ID are inappropriately placed in residential aged as a result of a shortage of disability accommodation and inadequate resources to support aging in place for those in such accommodation.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2008 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2007.01040.x