Transition to old age — what can we do to aid the process?

Abstract

This article looks at how people with learning disabilities, including people with learning disabilities who develop dementia, make the transition to old age. It identifies key issues in understanding the transition to old age for people with learning disabilities, including how the ageing process may be different for this group, lack of agreement as to what constitutes old age for people with learning disabilities, the heterogeneity of this population and the inadequacy of service responses to their changing needs. It advocates a number of clinical and service responses that might help make the transition easier for people.

How do people with learning disabilities experience and make sense of the ageing process?

“…The literature around people with learning disabilities seems to focus on life story work as a means of producing a life story book to hold the person's biographical history, rather than on the process of facilitating the process of life review as seen in the literature on older adults. It has been recommended that life story books be used more widely with people with learning disabilities and used as a tool to help them reflect on their life and plan for their future, not just to produce a biography (Dodd, 2008). The findings of this study strengthen Dodd's recommendation and also suggest that there is an additional need for work to focus on helping older people with learning disabilities to come to terms with and integrate their past experiences.…”

“…Several participants were aware of age‐related changes and expressed uncertainty and worry about getting older. People with learning disabilities may focus more on physical ageing than other aspects (Dodd, ), but lack understanding of normal age‐related changes, for example menopause (McCarthy & Millard, ). Participants expressed negative beliefs about ageing, sometimes influenced by others' views.…”

“…It has been suggested that people with learning disabilities may be less aware of ageing because they lack some of the markers available to people in the general population, such as becoming grandparents and retirement, and as a result there may be little distinction between life stages apart from the changes in their own body (Dodd, 2008). One participant stated that in her understanding, the term "getting older" only applies to the deterioration that happens in very old age.…”

“…This suggests a need for psychoeducational work for people with learning disabilities to increase their understanding of ageing as a process. Dodd (2008) points out that a psychoeducational approach is already used for peers of people with Down's syndrome and dementia, and has resulted in them becoming more aware and more tolerant of the changes their peer is experiencing. She suggests that a similar approach is needed to improve the transition to old age for people with learning disabilities, and this study has added evidence to support her suggestion.…”

Improving services for people with learning disabilities and dementia: Findings from a service evaluation exploring the perspectives of health and social care professionals

“…The group helped participants to recognise that changes in their housemates were the result of an illness over which the people with dementia might not have control and provided knowledge of practical ways in which they could support their housemates with dementia. Dodd () also describes successful short courses for people with learning disabilities living with someone with dementia…”