Enabling Self‐determination for Older Workers with Intellectual Disabilities in Supported Employment in Australia

Abstract

Although disability services and service providers emphasize the importance of promoting self-determination for people with disability, those working in supported employment are not currently enabled to make self-directed choices about retirement. To address this requires more flexible services, better information about retirement, exposure to real experiences and assistance to express preferences and participate in problem solving throughout the lifespan.

How do People with Intellectual Disabilities in Norway Experience the Transition to Retirement and Life as Retirees?

“…Self-determination is important for all people, and it is especially important that caregivers of people with intellectual disabilities provide essential support help them make self-determined decisions. Our participants especially valued the increase in self-determination after retirement, a finding supported by several previous studies (McDermott andEdwards 2012, Nota et al 2007). …”

“…Our interviews have shown that, even if people with intellectual disabilities do not want to stop working, they can still have a positive retirement experience, and may even prefer it to continuing to work. Interviews with retired people with intellectual disabilities in Australia confirm these findings (McDermott and Edwards 2012).…”

“…Mostly the others.' Lack of choice in the retirement process is supported by findings reported of an Australian study by McDermott and Edwards (2012). The lack of choice in the retirement process is a recurring finding in research on activities and life in general for people with intellectual disabilities (Abells, Burbidge, and Minnes 2008, Hall 2010, Stalker and Harris 1998, even though it is well known that choice is an important factor for coping and well-being.…”

“…Even if our study does not have such findings, it nevertheless reflects the importance of maintaining self-determination in the process, a notion supported by several studies (McDermott and Edwards 2012, Nota et al 2007, Rogers, Hawkins, and Eklund 1998. However, people with intellectual disabilities are often given few choices; furthermore, choices are often made by others on their behalf (Thorsen 2005, Wehmeyer andMetzler 1995).…”

“…Worries about not having other senior activities have emerged in the literature as well as in our study (McDermott andEdwards 2012, Wadsworth, Harper, andMcLeran 1995). In that case, poor planning seems to be the reason for the lack of senior activities.…”