Later-Life Planning: Promoting Knowledge of Options and Choice-Making

Abstract

The effectiveness of a person-centered later-life planning training program designed to teach older adults (N = 60) with mental retardation about later-life planning issues and increase their participation in choice-making was examined. Using quantitative data analyses, we assessed the impact of the program on intervention and control groups. Results indicated that the intervention group gained more knowledge of concepts in the curriculum and made more choices over time than did the control group. The wide variety of goals that participants set were examined through qualitative analyses; 87% of the participants met or partially met their goals. Information on the supports and barriers to meeting goals is provided.

Delaktig (även) på äldre dar : Åldrande och delaktighet bland personer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning som bor i gruppbostad

“…39 Att personalen i sina utsagor förutsätter att åldrandet på grund av den intellektuella funktionsnedsättningen inte skulle vara värt att prata med de boende om, eller att de boende inte skulle ha behov av att prata om ålder (jfr Lövgren, 2013), är dock anmärkningsvärt. Personer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning kan utveckla sina färdigheter genom stöd och erfarenheter (Kylén, 1981;1987;Schalock et al, 2010) och flera studier har visat att så är fallet även i högre åldrar (Heller et al, 1996;Heller et al, 2000;Lifshitz, Merrick & Mourad, 2008). I en äldre-och åldrandelös kontext finns emellertid en risk att personer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning inte får det stöd de behöver i sitt dagliga liv när de åldras och blir äldre.…”

Attitudes Toward Aging in Adult and Elderly People With Intellectual Disability

“…That is, they are not conscious of the physical, mental, and social changes people undergo in adulthood, especially during old age. In addition, they are unaware of the possibilities and potential inherent in old age, the activities which can be carried out during that stage of life, and the abilities needed to meet the challenges of that period (Heller, Miller, Hsieh & Stern, 2000).…”

Comparison of mediation between paraprofessionals and individuals with intellectual disability: vocational rehabilitation centres versus special education schools

“…This approach, dubbed by Feuerstein and Rand (1974) 'passive acceptance', reflects pessimism regarding the modifiability of adults with ID at advanced ages. There is no awareness of the innovations of recent studies which indicate that normal ageing among people with ID does not necessarily result in loss of memory (Numminen et al, 2002), and that ADL and cognitive skills may be modifiable among aged people with ID (Lifshitz & Rand, 1999;Heller et al, 2000;Lifshitz et al, 2005).…”