The housing and support needs of people with an intellectual disability into older age.
Keep adults with ID near their friends and layer in home supports so they can age in place.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Leung et al. (2011) talked with adults who have intellectual disability and their carers. They asked what housing features matter most as these adults grow older.
The team used open interviews. People shared wants like staying near friends and getting help before a crisis hits.
What they found
Carers said the best home lets the person age in place. Moving breaks friendships, so closeness to peers is key.
They also want a safety net. Services should step in only when needs grow, not before.
How this fits with other research
Ferreri et al. (2011) asked a large group where they live. Most adults with ID had no say. The new study explains why choice matters: it keeps social ties intact.
Tichá et al. (2012) looked at 8,892 adults across 19 states. Those in their own or small agency homes got more daily choices. Leung et al. (2011) adds the aging angle—small, familiar settings also protect peer networks.
Leung et al. (2014) tracked moves for 20 years. Adults with stronger daily skills and fewer early moves stayed put longer. The 2011 wishes line up: stable, peer-rich housing cuts future upheaval.
Why it matters
When you plan a residential move, put peer distance on the checklist. A five-minute walk to friends beats a fancy program across town. Add gradual in-home supports so the person can stay as skills decline. These steps honor both choice and aging in place.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disabilities (IDs) are growing older as a population cohort. Many live at home with family members who are their carers but who are also becoming older and less able to provide care. The housing and support preferences of people with IDs and their carers into older age are poorly characterised in the literature. METHODS: Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with 15 people with IDs who work in supported employment and with 10 family members who care for adults with IDs. Data were thematically analysed independently by two researchers. RESULTS: The major themes that emerged were as follows: (1) living arrangements; (2) housing preferences; (3) ageing in place; and (4) transition from informal to formal housing and support services. CONCLUSIONS: Participants with an ID and their carers want housing and support that enable people with an ID to maintain and enhance their social networks with their peers as they grow older and require transition to formal housing and support services, and to be able to 'age in place'. A preference was expressed for models of housing that provide the opportunity for people with an ID to live in close proximity to their peers and in large groups in the community rather than in small, dispersed community housing.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2011 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2011.01449.x