The social and community involvement of older Australians with intellectual disabilities.
Australians 55+ with ID are stuck at home—use adaptive-skills programs and small community homes to unlock their days.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Rutland et al. (1996) mailed surveys to carers of 113 Australians over 55 who have intellectual disability.
They asked how often the person went to shops, parks, church, or saw friends and family.
Carers also listed any clubs, sports, or volunteer work the person joined.
What they found
Only one in four had been inside a public library in the past year.
Half had no contact with friends outside the house.
Most spent their days watching TV or doing nothing at all.
How this fits with other research
Pilowsky et al. (1998) later showed the fix: smaller, lively, resident-run homes lifted adaptive skills and community ties.
Young (2006) tracked the same idea for ten years and found dispersed community houses beat cluster centres on choice and life quality.
Austin et al. (2015) seems to disagree: young adults with mild ID say they feel close to family and staff.
The clash fades when you see age: the 1996 paper studies retirees, while the 2015 paper studies twenty-somethings who still have school and work routines.
Why it matters
Your older clients risk drifting into the same invisible life. Start teaching bus travel, shopping lists, and senior-centre entry skills now. Push for small, staffed homes that let residents plan their own day. These steps can flip the pattern before isolation hardens.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This paper describes the involvement of older people with intellectual disabilities in residential- and community-based activities and programmes. The 446 participants were selected from a national database of people of 55 years of age and over with intellectual disabilities in Australia. The data indicate that participants made infrequent use of public amenities and social and recreational facilities. With the exception of those living with relatives, most had limited contact with family and friends. The discussion draws attention to the need for independence training which will enable the current generation of middle-aged people with an intellectual disability to make decisions and choices about social and community activities.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 1996 · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2788.1996.719719.x